


Other Half: Intertwining Fates

by Hanguang_Jun, Wuxian_Biscuit (The_Tevinter_Biscuit)



Series: Other Half [3]
Category: Mo Dao Zu Shi
Genre: A bit of dark wangxian (but it's not permanent), Alpha Lan Wangji, Alpha Wei WuXian, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Magic, Angst and Fluff and Smut, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bottom Lan Wangji, Bottom wei wuxian, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Lan WangJi, Omega wei wuxian, Omegaverse, Roleplay, Safewords, Selfcest, Switch wangxian, Tentacle Porn, Top Lan Wangji, Top Wei Wuxian, a/o and o/o and a/a
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-11
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-16 00:13:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 10
Words: 83,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28697508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hanguang_Jun/pseuds/Hanguang_Jun, https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Tevinter_Biscuit/pseuds/Wuxian_Biscuit
Summary: The two worlds come together at last. Can they help each other bring peace to each of their lands?
Relationships: Lán Zhàn | Lán Wàngjī/Self, WangXian - Relationship, Wèi Yīng | Wèi Wúxiàn/Self
Series: Other Half [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1688557
Comments: 82
Kudos: 92





	1. First Contact

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Part 3!!! For those who read part 2, have you missed Lan Wangji and Wei Ying? Well here they are! 😊

Lan Zhan was playing with his bunnies when it happened the first time. He was picking up piles of hay and tossing them over bunnies while they jumped in the air to ‘catch’ it, but then they suddenly stopped. All five of them ignored him and looked alarmed, like a stranger had walked into the room.

He paused and looked around then back at the bunnies. Their ears were moving now, turning this way and that. The terrifying thing was that their ears were moving in generally the same direction, like all of them were hearing something that he couldn’t.

Lan Zhan watched quietly for a moment, until he heard something as well. It was like the wind, but there was no breeze in the room. Then he heard it whisper: _Can you hear us?_

Lan Zhan’s blood ran cold. Was there a ghost in the room? He turned around in a circle but he didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.

“Wei Wuxian!” he called.

Wei Wuxian came hurrying over. He'd been making some notes at the desk when he heard Lan Zhan's call. He hopped over the small wall that barricaded Lan Zhan and the bunnies inside.

"Lan Zhan? Is something wrong?" he asked.

“I think there is a ghost in here,” Lan Zhan said. “It doesn’t make sense. We have barriers around campus, ghosts and other beings can’t enter. Look at the rabbits, and listen.”

"What? A ghost?" Wei Wuxian said. He looked around and sure enough, he couldn't see anyone. But he did as Lan Zhan said and watched the bunnies, seeing their ears twitch.

Then he heard it, a soft whisper of: _I don't think they can hear us._

"What the fuck?" Wei Wuxian mumbled.

Lan Zhan wouldn't admit to doing this to anyone even if they held a knife to his throat, but he walked over to hold onto Wei Wuxian's arm for comfort.

There were more words that he couldn't understand, garbled and lost under the sound of the wind that wasn't there. Then: _We need your help._

"We need your help," Lan Zhan repeated in a whisper, looking up at his mate to see if he'd heard it too.

Wei Wuxian nodded. He pressed his lips tightly together as he tried to look for the source of the whispering.

Lan Zhan was having a hard time hearing what the words were saying. They sounded so warped...

"Are they talking about the Wens?" he asked after a moment. "Do you think they're warning us about something?"

"I don't know. Who could they even be?" Wei Wuxian asked, shaking his head. This situation was far too weird.

And it only got weirder. The voices stopped after that and Lan Zhan thought it was just a one-time incident, though he stayed by Wei Wuxian's side. He wouldn't admit that he was scared; it wasn't unusual for him to stay near Wei Wuxian all the time. These past couple of years, he had grown nervous and Wei Wuxian was his beacon of safety.

The next day, Lan Zhan had all but forgotten about the ghosts and they tumbled together on the bed for a while like usual. He sat up tall on top while Wei Wuxian's knot filled him up from below, having just came not even a minute ago. He stretched pleasantly and looked to the side.

When he saw something that was most definitely _off_ , he remembered the incident the day before and he gasped. On instinct he went to bolt, but a sharp pain inside of him reminded him that he was stuck to Wei Wuxian. He cried out in pain, "Ow!"

"Hey, whoa! Whoa," Wei Wuxian desperately reached for Lan Zhan's hips as he spoke to settle him back down against him. He had twinged with pain as well as he tugged on the knot. "What is it?"

Lan Zhan grabbed the blankets and pulled them over his shoulders, even though he was still dressed from the waist up. He stared wide-eyed at the weird thing and said, "Look."

It wasn't anything solid. It was like the air was... moving in that one spot. There were little waves making everything behind it look somewhat distorted. The shape was tall and broad, almost like a very large person. Then he saw another, shorter one appear next to it. "There's another one!" he said.

Wei Wuxian turned to look in the same direction as Lan Zhan. His eyes widened as he saw it... them? He tightened his grip on Lan Zhan's hips.

"You think it has something to do with the voices we heard before?" he asked quietly.

Lan Zhan pulled the blanket tighter around him and leaned down over Wei Wuxian, hiding in his neck before peeking up to look at the thing again.

"I don't know," he said. "Do you think it's a ghost?"

"Is that even possible?" Wei Wuxian said. His instinct was to growl at the mysterious figures, to protect his omega from the offending intruders.

"Ghosts do exist," Lan Zhan said, struggling to keep his voice even and pretend like he wasn't scared, "but they're not supposed to be on campus. Maybe there's something wrong with the barrier."

Wei Wuxian growled louder in hopes it might deter the shaky figures. He didn't know what else he could do - after all, he was here naked with his omega in the afterglow of sex!

The growl calmed Lan Zhan a little bit. He curled himself a little more around Wei Wuxian and stared at the spot. He saw the larger thing moving away, further into the room and away from the bed.

"I think you scared it," he whispered.

"I hope so," Wei Wuxian breathed. "I hope they don't come back."

The things disappeared a few minutes later, but then returned that night. Lan Zhan wasn't as surprised this time, and he watched them carefully. There were two of them and they moved around the room like people for a few minutes before disappearing again. He told his brother about it, and they checked the barriers but found that they were intact. It might be a type of magic that they weren't aware of rather than a ghost or demon.

No matter what it was, Lan Zhan was happy to leave it behind when they finally got the letter from Jiang Wanyin approving their visit. Wei Wuxian had managed to get a month's leave from Lan Zhan's work doing life magic research for the Wens, which meant that they would have about two weeks to stay at Lotus Pier. He was excited to see his friend Su Ming again after a year of only exchanging cryptic letters disguised as being from their alphas. Having Jiang Wanyin marry her to keep her from being rounded up was the best decision Lan Zhan had ever made.

Apparently, the weird situations followed them.

Four days into their week-long ride to Yunmeng, Lan Zhan had the fright of his life. He was sleeping in the back of the carriage that Wei Wuxian was driving when it came to a stop and he heard his mate call out that it was time to get out and get something to eat. He groaned and stretched, but his foot hit something soft that wasn't his bag. He opened his eyes and sucked in a breath.

There was a man in the carriage with him!

He scrambled up and away, and if it weren't for the wooden backing of the carriage he would have fallen right out. He climbed over it and stumbled out. "Wei Wuxian, there's!"

But as soon as he tried to run around the carriage, he ran into some shorter person and hit his nose against their head. He backed up, alarmed, and tripped and fell backwards, but instead of hitting the ground, large, strong arms caught him.

The person inside the carriage, who was now holding Lan Zhan, was none other than Lan Wangji. He righted Lan Zhan and made sure he was stable, a concerned look on his face.

"I'm sorry," he said to his omega self. "I didn't mean to scare you."

"Lan Wangji, you should know your own size by now. Who wouldn't be a little afraid seeing you for the first time?" Wei Ying, the other figure who Lan Zhan had bumped into said. He looked at Lan Zhan with a smile. "Um. Hello! I take it you can see and hear us just fine?"

It was then that Wei Wuxian stepped out of the carriage fully, panicked as he heard his mate call for him. He almost tripped over his own feet when he saw the two men surrounding his mate. A growl slipped out without really taking in what he was seeing, and Lan Wangji let go of Lan Zhan and backed away a little in response to it.

"Who- Wait a minute," he said. He marched towards Wei Ying, taking in the sight of the slightly familiar looking face. It looked... It looked far too much like his own. So, he grabbed him by the chin and pulled him closer for inspection while he squealed in his grasp. "Who the fuck are you?"

Lan Zhan twirled around to look at the alpha behind him and then ran over to grab onto Wei Wuxian’s arm and pull him away, not trusting these strangers.

Now that he got a closer look at the omega, though, he noticed the same thing. He did look like Wei Wuxian, just... softer. _Almost_ identical.

He looked back at the alpha, who was definitely wearing a Lan forehead ribbon, and white and blue robes too. The alpha had Lan Zhan’s features as well, but they were sharper, even more than Wei Wuxian’s face, and he looked more like Lan Xichen than himself. He would perhaps think that these were relatives of theirs, but with the both of them together...

Lan Wangji carefully approached and pulled Wei Ying into a protective embrace, though his face still showed hesitation. He stared at Wei Wuxian warily, like he wasn’t sure what the other alpha was going to do.

“This is Wei Ying, and I am Lan Wangji,” he said. “We need your help.”

"Wei Ying- but- wait, okay, so you're telling me that this... this is an omega version of me?" Wei Wuxian said, pointing fingers at Wei Ying. He pulled a face and then looked at Lan Zhan. "And that's you as an alpha?"

"Is that what's really important right now?" Wei Ying huffed, leaning into Lan Wangji's embrace.

Once it was confirmed, Lan Zhan perked up. He took in the sight of the two, especially Wei Ying. An omega version of Wei Wuxian?

Immediately, his thoughts turned to the countless roleplays he and Wei Wuxian had done, the fantasies and wet dreams he’d had about this exact scenario. He cursed the fact that he was in public and couldn’t appreciate this opportunity more fully, lest people think he was... like _that_. He instead chose to walk over to his other self, Lan Wangji apparently.

“I named my guqin Wangji,” he said, inspecting the ridiculously tall alpha. “You look like my father.”

“I don’t know my father,” Lan Wangji said back.

Lan Zhan had just gone to grope Lan Wangji’s arms and he paused. That made sense, he supposed. He had ignored Lan Xichen as well. He continued feeling Lan Wangji’s bicep, appreciating how hard and muscular it was under the robes. This was an acceptable thing, he thought. His alpha self was quite masculine and brawny!

Lan Wangji let Lan Zhan grope him, just looking between the three people around him in bewilderment.

Wei Ying however, wasn't about to let Lan Zhan fondle too much. He'd copped a feel and that was enough. Despite Lan Zhan being essentially, Lan Wangji, he knew he was different in many ways and he wasn't about to let another omega have at his mate like that. So, he slapped Lan Zhan's hand away.

"You've felt it, that's enough," he said.

Lan Zhan took his hands away, but he did look Wei Ying up and down. His expression was dark, but not in a mean way. It was... _hungry_. Lan Wangji couldn’t help but think about that game he’d watched the other couple play a few weeks prior.

“We came from another world,” he said, trying to distract his omega self. “It is just like yours, but I am assuming it is sometime in the past. How old are you?”

“I’m 24,” Lan Zhan said.

“I’m 21,” Lan Wangji replied. Quieter he said, “In our world, Lotus Pier was just burned down by the Wens over summer break, which was a month ago. Wei Ying took an artifact from them when he was captured by them, and that is how we were able to come here. We need to know how to stop the Wens before they progress this far.”

Talking about Lotus Pier like that was a sore spot for Wei Wuxian, even if it had happened three years ago. Wei Ying was looking to one side as well.

"We're going to Lotus Pier right now," Wei Wuxian said. "But I'm not going or saying anything until I get some grub in me. Join us for dinner?"

“Wait,” Lan Zhan said. He glanced at Wei Wuxian. “He needs a collar.”

Without explaining, he climbed back into the carriage and returned a moment later with a leather collar that was covered in white silk. Lan Wangji noticed that Lan Zhan was also wearing a collar, though his was much fancier and had a lot of lace on it, and even a little bell in the front like he was a cat.

Lan Zhan did his best not to look as thirsty as he was when he approached Wei Ying and put the collar around his neck, hiding him from view. He eyed the nasty-looking claim mark that was there, noticing that it was fresh. He licked his lips.

“Why does he need a collar like that?” Lan Wangji asked. “It isn’t the same kind the Wens put on him when they had him.”

“They’ve upgraded,” Lan Zhan said. “Not all omegas have to have one, only those who can use magic or aren’t certified healers. Since you are a Lan, it will be assumed that your omega is a mage as well.”

He looked at Wei Ying and risked running a finger just below the collar. “It isn’t real, do not worry. It is just to keep people from asking. Do not use your magic with it on.”

"Okay," Wei Ying said softly. He reached up the feel the collar on his neck too. The memory of being collared up by the Wens was still fresh in his mind. Instinctively, when he felt nervous, he reached out to hold Lan Wangji's hand.

Wei Wuxian looked down at their joined hands. "As long as you two stay close like that, people shouldn't suspect anything."

Lan Zhan _really_ wanted to kiss Wei Ying. He licked his lips again and looked away. “Do not read anything either. Don’t look at signs or menus. If you have money, keep it hidden. Wei Wuxian will pay for everything. Let Lan Wangji order for you.”

With that, he went to hold onto Wei Wuxian’s arm. Leaning in he murmured, “Do you think they were the ghosts?”

"Maybe," Wei Wuxian replied quietly, shrugging his shoulders. Then, he looked back over to Lan Wangji and Wei Ying and spoke up. "Okay, let's go."

Wei Wuxian guided the group to one of the nearby restaurants in the local town. A few heads turned their way at the sight of them (he was sure some of them thought they were seeing double) but he put it down to the fact that there were two Lans walking around. It wasn't exactly a common sight these days. He got them a table to sit down at and took the menu, scanning it over and then handing it to Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji took it, trying not to shrivel inside himself every time Wei Wuxian so much as looked at him. He could do this.

He was about to lean over so Wei Ying could read the menu but he remembered what Lan Zhan had said. He took a breath and then quietly read everything that he saw out loud so just Wei Ying could hear.

“I want the duck and noodles,” Lan Zhan said. He looked so prissy, sitting there with his lacy collar and lacy hair ornament, and also the lavender lace outer garment he wore over his robes. Lan Wangji couldn’t fathom wearing something like that, even if he were an omega.

Wei Ying deliberated over his choices for a moment, getting Lan Wangji to repeat some of them before he finally decided on something.

"I suppose even our taste buds would be the same," Wei Wuxian remarked with a grin.

Lan Zhan had _many_ questions. He leaned in towards Lan Wangji and asked, “Is Gege an alpha or an omega?”

“An alpha,” Lan Wangji said.

“Are there any male omegas in the family?”

“No.”

“What is your specialty?”

“Defense, I also do mending in my free time and some other types.”

“Were you trying to speak to us a few days ago?”

“Yes.“

“Are you married?”

“Just recently.”

“Are you friends with Su Ming?”

“We were as children, but not since.”

“Why are you so strong?”

“I am a mercenary, so I train for battle.”

“Is that your sword?”

“Yes.”

“What is it called?”

“Bichen.”

Lan Zhan paused in his barrage of questions, considering all of this. It all checked out, it seemed. He still couldn’t quite wrap his mind around this. If there was another world where he and Wei Wuxian were switched, were there other worlds too? Worlds where his brother was an omega and he was an alpha?

"We managed to come here to observe a couple times but we couldn't seem to interact with anything. We could walk through walls and stuff, like it was a dream. Then we tried to get in better contact after we learnt what had happened here," Wei Ying said.

Wei Wuxian hummed in thought. "Keep your voice down."

Lan Wangji put an arm around Wei Ying. When the waiter came to take their orders, he ordered for both himself and Wei Ying. He felt weird about it; he was glad that he and Wei Ying had gotten married and he had claimed him.

“You need to get papers,” Lan Zhan said quietly, leaning in so just they could hear. “You can say that you... were studying magic in seclusion with your mate and just came out.”

"Papers?" Wei Ying asked.

Wei Wuxian nodded. "If an omega wants to not be captured and put in one of those Wen facilities, you need a declaration of ownership. Omegas have to be... the property of an alpha to not be taken. You also need them to go from city to city. Wen guards are stationed at every entrance."

“We can go after we eat,” Lan Zhan said.

(Another question popped into his head, but he had to bite his tongue. It wasn’t appropriate to ask how long an alpha’s knot lasted in public. He was sure it would be longer than Wei Wuxian’s...)

Wei Ying glanced at Lan Wangji. As much as he didn't like the idea of being "owned" by anyone, he knew he could trust Lan Wangji.

It didn't take too much longer before their food arrived and Wei Wuxian was eager to chow down.

Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan both ate in silence, though they stared at each other intensely the entire time. They scrutinized each other, trying to figure the other one out. Lan Wangji felt a little unnerved.

As soon as Lan Wangji saw that Wei Ying was finished, he put some money on the table to pay for their food. “I would like a moment to speak with Wei Ying before we continue,” he said. “We will be by the carriage.”

Wei Wuxian looked up from his plate and nodded. "Okay. We'll meet you out there."

Wei Ying got up from his seat and bowed respectfully towards Wei Wuxian before wrapping himself around Lan Wangji's arm and leaving the restaurant with him.

As soon as they got to the carriage, Lan Wangji kissed Wei Ying's forehead. "Lan Zhan has been watching you closely," he said. "I think he has impure intentions. How do you feel about that? Do you feel safe?"

"Impure intentions? What do you mean? I feel fine," Wei Ying said, blinking owlishly up at his mate.

"He wants you," Lan Wangji said. "As much as I do not blame him, I need to know how you feel about that."

"Wh- Like in a... In a... _Oh_. I suppose that makes sense given what we've seen," Wei Ying said, his face lighting up red at the realisation. "I don't mind. I mean, as long as you're okay with it? He's still you in a lot of ways. I'd be... a little curious to see just how different you two are."

Lan Wangji nodded and hugged him, kissing his forehead again. "I am okay with it," he said. "Only because they are the same as us. I would not be okay with it if it were anyone else. If you ever want me to take you away from either of them for any reason, just call for me."

"Okay. I will, thank you," Wei Ying replied. He buried his face against Lan Wangji's chest, hugging him back tightly.

They waited out there until Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian came out. Lan Zhan looked serious. Well... more serious than usual.

"We need to change something," he said quietly once they got there. "They're going to want to put a collar on Wei Ying when you get papers. Any omega with a Lan is a suspected mage."

"A _real_ collar? No, no, no, absolutely not," Wei Ying said quickly, panic flickering in his eyes. "Anything but that. What can I do instead?"

Lan Zhan looked at Wei Wuxian, then back at the other two. "I think we need to change your story," he said. "Wangji is not Lan Wangji anymore, it's... Shi Wangji. Just when you have to get the papers. You need new clothes, and take off your forehead ribbon. You're a mage who was in seclusion, and Wei Ying was only there to keep you company. He was an orphan who you picked up and he can barely read." He looked at Wei Ying. "You will need to act the part."

"Keeps him company? Like a... a..." Wei Ying began.

"Bedwarmer, yes. Like a whore. That shouldn't be too hard for you, right?" Wei Wuxian replied, cocking an eyebrow. He knew he was making assumptions about Wei Ying but he only had himself to draw from.

Wei Ying spluttered a bit, cheeks red. "I... Did you just...? Whatever! I can do it."

Lan Wangji put a hand on Wei Ying's waist and kissed the side of his head. "Just for a little while," he said. "I will get you a dessert afterwards."

He had already put his forehead ribbon in his pocket. He nodded at the other two. "I suppose we can't be seen with you then," he said.

"That would be best for now," Lan Zhan said. "We will take the carriage just outside the city past the southern gate."

Lan Wangji nodded. He thought for a moment, then dug around in his bag that he'd left in the carriage and pulled out the two pendants. He handed one to Lan Zhan. "If this blinks three times, we are in trouble," he said.

Lan Zhan took it and stared at it in wonder. He was about to ask what it was, but Lan Wangji was already pulling Wei Ying away.

"I hope they'll be okay," Wei Wuxian said. He stared down at the pendant as well, looking over Lan Zhan's shoulder.

Wei Ying let himself be pulled along by Lan Wangji. They managed to find their way to a clothing store in which they would be able to change their outfits.

Lan Wangji picked out a set of simple black robes. He was surprised they had any in his size, but this was a bigger city than the one he was used to. Before he went to try them on, he went towards the women’s section and looked around.

“Do you think you will need to change too?” he asked. “You don’t look like... what they were saying you would need to.”

"I should probably take a lesson or two in being shameless like Lan Zhan," Wei Ying said as he reached out to touch a black lace outer robe. He would probably need to lose the inner robe and pick something thin to put underneath and then the lace on top.

"It is not unthinkable that I would want to hide you from the eyes of others," Lan Wangji said. "I just came out of seclusion, after all. I have had you to myself for a long time. You can pick any robes you like, I think."

"I'm committing to the part. If I have to pretend to be a dumb whore then... then I will look like one too!" Wei Ying declared. He picked out a thin red robe and the black lace outer robe. As he recalled what Lan Zhan typically wore, he also chose to pick up some black stockings with lace tops, just in case he needed a glimmer of seduction. There was a part of him that felt a little thrilled at the idea of wearing something so pretty, even if it was shameless. He shoved the clothes in Lan Wangji's arms so he could pay for them.

Lan Wangji didn't know why the stockings were needed, but he didn't argue. He grabbed a pair of thin shorts just so Wei Ying would have something covering him up should anything slip. Surely the Wens wouldn't dare touch his omega. Bichen should be enough to scare them in the first place. He remembered to also get some black boots for himself.

After they paid for the clothes, they both went into the changing area and quickly put on the new clothes. Lan Wangji folded their old clothes and put them in the smaller bag he'd brought, then after a moment of consideration, he took Wei Ying's hair down from its ponytail. Loose hair was plenty indecent.

"Black looks nice on you. What about me? What do you think?" Wei Ying asked. He gave a little twirl for good measure and then idly began combing his fingers through his hair.

"You look gorgeous," Lan Wangji said. He left yet another kiss on the top of Wei Ying's head. If he could count the number of kisses he had placed on Wei Ying's head and face, they would outnumber the stars in the sky.

As if he just remembered, he took the collar off of Wei Ying and then the cuff around his own topknot. He took his hair down and pulled it into a half updo, pulling his bangs up with it.

"So charming," Wei Ying said. He let out a giggle and then reached for Lan Wangji's cheeks so he could pull him down for a proper kiss. Once they parted, he attached himself to Lan Wangji's arm. "Let's go back. They'll be waiting for us."

They had to ask around for where to get ownership papers, and Lan Wangji didn’t miss the envious looks he got from any alpha in hearing range. He kept his hand firmly on Wei Ying’s waist as they walked.

When they finally got to the building, they walked inside and looked around. It was a simple and small place, with a few Wen officials sitting around and talking. All three of them stopped when the couple walked in and ogled at Wei Ying.

“I am here to get ownership papers for my omega,” he said.

“Right over here,” one of the officials said, pointing at the chairs in front of his desk.

“Aren’t you a lucky one,” a female official said as she leered at Wei Ying.

“Quite,” Lan Wangji said. He led Wei Ying over to the desk and pointed at the chair. “Sit.”

Wei Ying did his best to look unfazed by the leering; he pouted a little at Lan Wangji before looking towards the chair and then took a seat. He crossed his legs, showing just a glimmer of the stockings underneath, and then pulled his hair to one side to start combing his fingers through it. He knew his claim was on show, just like the dip of his collarbones, and whenever one of the officials looked him, he simply smiled obliviously.

“Names,” the official said.

“Shi Wangji and Wei Ying,” Lan Wangji said.

The official started writing on a document. “Just married?”

“We eloped many years ago,” Lan Wangji said.

The official glanced up at him. “Why haven’t you gotten papers until now?”

“I was in seclusion since before all of this happened,” Lan Wangji said. “I am a mage, though my studies aren’t... appropriate for the Lan University.”

“A mage?” the official asked, looking at Wei Ying. “And the omega?”

“Seclusion is lonely,” Lan Wangji said. “I needed simple company. Someone who couldn’t interfere with my work.”

Wei Ying turned to look at Lan Wangji, still twirling his hair around his finger. "I like it when you do the pretty sparkly stuff."

The official raised an eyebrow. “Since you’ve been gone, you’re aware of the rules?”

Lan Wangji nodded. “You can put a collar on him if you wish, but... you would be wasting your resources. Even if he had magic capabilities, he...” His expression turned sardonic. “Isn’t intelligent enough to figure it out.“

The official nodded and finished writing up the document. Then he folded the paper and placed it in an envelope and handed it to Lan Wangji.

“Twenty coins, please.”

Lan Wangji took out his pouch and counted out the money and set it on the table. He put the papers in his bag and nodded before standing up.

“Thank you,” he said.

The official ignored him and focused on putting the money away. Lan Wangji put his hand on Wei Ying’s waist and led him out of the building. His heart was racing and he took a deep breath to try and calm it.

Wei Ying latched himself onto Lan Wangji's arm but he turned and waved at the guards with a smile before he left.

Once they were out, Wei Ying let out a small groan, resting his forehead on Lan Wangji's arm.

Lan Wangji kissed the side of his head. “Let’s get a dessert,” he said. “We can take some to the others as well.”

"I'd like that. Can we get a fruit tart? I want a fruit tart. It's tiring pretending to be stupid," Wei Ying said with a sigh.

Lan Wangji nodded. They walked toward the southern gate and when they saw a place that sold fruit tarts, he bought four of them. After giving one to Wei Ying, he carried them with him while they walked past the gate and saw the carriage a little off the road. Lan Zhan was sitting in Wei Wuxian’s lap on the driver’s seat, and he jumped down when he saw the other two.

Before going to him, Lan Wangji pulled one of the fruit tarts from his bag and handed it up to Wei Wuxian, hoping his ears weren’t as red as they felt.

Wei Wuxian looked at the fruit tart and then up at Lan Wangji. He smiled wide as he took it. "This is for me? Thank you!"

Lan Wangji looked away bashfully, not knowing what to say. He went back to Wei Ying’s side and waited while Lan Zhan climbed into the carriage.

It wasn’t a fancy carriage, but rather a plain wooden wagon with a waterproof leather hood. Those were nice for traveling in hot weather, since the leather could be pulled up on the sides to let the air flow through. He supposed that was why Lan Zhan wanted to use it, if he was as intolerant of the heat as himself. He helped Wei Ying into the carriage next before hauling himself up and in. He then gave Lan Zhan a fruit tart and got the remaining one for himself.

"Say thank you to Lan Wangji for the fruit tart!" Wei Ying said, still stuffing his face with his own fruit tart. He was still dressed in this new outfit but he grabbed his ribbon from the bag Lan Wangji had shoved it in. Balancing his fruit tart in his mouth, he went to tie his hair back up into a high ponytail.

Lan Wangji admittedly felt nervous being close to Lan Zhan. He didn’t know what to think about him. On one hand he felt anxious about his seemingly endless sexual appetite and his willingness to be rude, but on the other hand, he also felt affectionate toward him. It was himself, after all.

Lan Zhan felt similar. He didn’t know much about his alpha self, but he wasn’t quite as... abrasive as he had expected. It piqued his curiosity, and he wanted to go prod at him some more. But something else more interesting was in the carriage, too. He always knew that Wei Ying would have beautiful collarbones. Wei Wuxian did too, though they didn’t look quite this delicate. Deep in his thoughts, he didn’t even consider thanking Lan Wangji like Wei Ying had said.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," Wei Ying said with a huff. He waved his hand in front of Lan Zhan impatiently.

Lan Zhan hummed to let him know he’d heard. He stared all over Wei Ying, only barely tasting the fruit tart. He needed some makeup to match the robes. Maybe some red on his eyelids, or black...

"Jeez, I didn't think you could get any quieter than Lan Wangji," Wei Ying said.

“You could make me not be quiet if you tried,” Lan Zhan suggested.

Lan Wangji felt like he was intruding. Lan Zhan looked like he was a few seconds away from pouncing.

"I-" Wei Ying was genuinely at a loss for words. He wasn't used to being flirted with like this. Lan Wangji was not so shameless.

Lan Zhan kept staring. The reaction wasn’t what he had hoped it would be; it wasn’t like what Wei Wuxian would say. Maybe he didn’t like omegas like that?

The idea was heartbreaking. He covered it up by turning on Lan Wangji. He could focus on his alpha self instead.

The carriage started moving just as he pulled the string to let down the back leather flap to enclose them in the space completely. He lit a small magelight to keep the inside bright enough for them to see.

Setting the fruit tart aside, Lan Zhan scooted over to Lan Wangji and started to feel his arm again. He heard a short but deep croon and looked up to see Lan Wangji looking bewildered, as if his own croon surprised him.

"Wow, Lan Wangji, I can't believe you're crooning at an omega other than me," Wei Ying teased, suddenly feeling a lot more comfortable being on the other end of the teasing.

Lan Wangji looked a little guilty, which Lan Zhan found peculiar. He kept feeling his arm and then said, “Would you open your robes if I asked you to? I want to see.”

Lan Wangji wasn’t actually as opposed to that as he would expect. He looked at Wei Ying to gauge his reaction.

Wei Ying answered by shrugging his shoulders. He was definitely going to keep a close eye on them but that was all. "Do whatever you feel comfortable with."

Lan Wangji untied the sash on his new black robes and opened them up. Lan Zhan let out an appreciative hum and reached out to touch his abdomen.

“You are very strong,” he said. “And judging by my own size I imagine you’re packing a lot in there.” He eyed his crotch pointedly.

Lan Wangji blushed and looked away, but he glanced back at Lan Zhan. Was he flirting or was he just making statements? And why didn’t he care if it was the first one?

"He is. He's huge. Almost tore me in half the first time I had him in me," Wei Ying said casually.

Lan Zhan turned to look at Wei Ying, his gaze lowering down his body. How small was he then? He licked his lips, then pulled his eyes back to Lan Wangji.

Tilting his head, he asked, “How do you feel about me flirting with your omega, Lan Wangji?” Not that he really cared about Lan Wangji’s opinion – he was really trying to get Wei Ying’s reaction, indirectly.

But Lan Wangji surprisingly looked put on the spot. “I’m intrigued,” he said.

What an interesting answer... Lan Zhan turned to look at Wei Ying again, dragging his bottom lip through his teeth.

"He'd probably like to watch," Wei Ying suggested. He looked over at Lan Wangji and then shuffled to sit himself on his lap.

That surprised Lan Zhan. So he did like omegas, then?

Oh, it was Lan Zhan’s lucky day.

He brought the magelight a little closer so he could better appreciate the details up close. He scooted closer and reached out to feel Wei Ying’s sides. “Maybe we should stop and let Wei Wuxian watch too,” he said.

Lan Wangji stiffened and made a choked noise. Lan Zhan looked at him in confusion.

“No,” Lan Wangji said. He sounded genuinely pained. His ears were now a vibrant crimson.

Lan Zhan scrutinized him, eyes narrowed. “Maybe I will,” he said, testing the waters.

Lan Wangji looked genuinely nervous. Did he...?

Well, it made sense that his alpha self would be a rutslut. But it was curious that he would act so... _bashful_ about it.

“I won’t,” Lan Zhan relented. “Unless he hears something and wants to join. I won’t say no to him.”

"Isn't this is a little... you really want to do this in the carriage?" Wei Ying asked. He had thought he was shameless all this time until he'd seen Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian.

“Better in the carriage than in the inn where other people will hear you,” Lan Zhan said. “Why, do you not want to do it?”

He and Wei Wuxian may or may not have spent a night in the carriage so far just so they didn’t have to be quiet.

Wei Ying was sure his face was a deep red. "No! No, it's not that. It's just... I mean... Lan Wangji and I have never done it... outside of a bedroom so I don't really um... This is new."

Red looked good on him. Lan Zhan licked his lips. “But that’s half of the fun,” he said. “Wei Wuxian almost fucked me with his tentacles hanging above a river in broad daylight once.”

“Almost?” Lan Wangji asked. His voice was suspiciously small.

“I stopped him,” Lan Zhan said. “But he would have done it if I let him.”

He ran a hand up Wei Ying’s thigh, his scent already changing. “We can have fun if you want.”

Wei Ying's eyes darted from Lan Zhan's wandering hand to his face several times. He had to clear his throat before he could speak again. "What... did you have in mind?"

Lan Zhan licked his lips. “I want to spread you open and use you,” he said. “I want to make you cum.”

Wei Ying's gaze shifted over to Lan Wangji to gauge his reaction and approval. He knew he was okay with it because he'd told him so but still...

"Can I stay on his lap while you do?" he asked.

Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji both nodded at the same time. Lan Zhan started by reaching up to tug Lan Wangji’s hair loose.

“Don’t wear your hair like that,” he said. “You look too much like my father.”

Lan Wangji let him do it, thinking about what he had seen of Lan Qingheng. He didn’t bring it up.

Lan Zhan turned his attention back to Wei Ying and parted his robes at the bottom, then untied the little shorts that were there. He pulled them and his underwear off in one motion, and he crooned when he saw it.

It was so cute!

Lan Wangji was crooning as well; he was happy that Lan Zhan had the same reaction as he had the first time.

It was definitely strange to be exposed in a carriage like this. Then, to be surrounded by two men crooning at him... This kind of situation was so weird! Wei Ying fought the urge to close his legs.

"What is it with you two and crooning at my dick?" he huffed.

“It’s cute,” both the other two said at the same time. Lan Wangji had never felt more in tune with his other self.

Lan Zhan took hold of Wei Ying’s thighs and lifted them up so he could see the little balls and the opening behind them. Everything was so much smaller than Wei Wuxian’s and it made him croon louder.

“Hold him like this,” Lan Zhan said.

Lan Wangji put his hands under Wei Ying’s knees and held him like he was told. He was starting to get aroused; seeing Wei Ying so spread open always did something to him.

Wei Ying wasn't sure that he'd ever felt this embarrassed before. His everything was on show and he was being stared at in intimate places.

"You're not even going to kiss me before you stick anything in me?" he said.

That was a good point. Lan Zhan sat up on his knees and took Wei Ying’s face in his hands. His features were so soft, so lovely... He leaned in to kiss him, nice and gentle.

Lan Wangji was absolutely _captivated_. He watched as Lan Zhan sweetly kissed his omega, over and over.

It was easy to melt into the kisses. Kissing Lan Zhan was just like kissing a sweeter, softer Lan Wangji. Not that Wei Ying would ever change anything about Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji couldn’t stop himself from leaning in to mouth at the side of Wei Ying’s neck. He sucked on the spot over his scent glands, careful not to disturb the scarred claim mark.

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, was taking the opportunity to feel all over Wei Ying. He squeezed his tiny little waist and then ran his hands over the curve of his hips and squeezed his ass a little.

As soon as Wei Ying was free from Lan Zhan's lips, he let out a contented purr. He liked the attention, he decided, and liked being fussed over by the two of them.

Lan Wangji crooned again in response to it, feeling happy and comfortable despite being where they were. He found that he liked sharing Wei Ying with his other self. It was fun to watch.

Lan Zhan finally let one hand inch closer to between his legs, but he paused. They had a long drive ahead of them. There was no need to rush.

“How long will you two be here?” he asked.

“It should be a week or so,” Lan Wangji said.

Lan Zhan nodded. He was content with that. He rubbed his hands on Wei Ying’s inner thighs and stared at that sweet little hole, but he didn’t actually touch it.

Wei Ying let out a deep breath. He wiggled a little in Lan Wangji's grasp, feeling his cock harden and slick start to dribble out of him.

"That's what we were told anyway," he mumbled.

Lan Zhan untied the sash around Wei Ying and opened his robes, humming in satisfaction. Wei Wuxian was so hard and muscular, it was nice to see a softer version of him for once. He squeezed Wei Ying's sides, delighting in how small his waist was.

"You are so small," he said.

Wei Ying blushed furiously. He looked back at Lan Zhan, raking his eyes all over him. "You are even smaller in comparison to Lan Wangji."

"Not smaller than you," Lan Zhan said. He scooted back and then lay down on his stomach and over Lan Wangji's legs, settling so he was comfortable. Unable to resist getting a taste, he leaned in and licked at Wei Ying's opening.

Wei Ying let out a startled moan, his eyebrows twitching as he trembled in Lan Wangji's grip. It made sense that Lan Zhan would enjoy doing this as Lan Wangji did too.

Lan Wangji shifted Wei Ying's leg further up his arm so he could reach his cock and play with it. He ran his fingers up the underside and tweaked the head, the rubbed circles over it. Lan Zhan looked like he was really enjoying himself, so much that he was even purring.

The dual stimulation was almost too much for Wei Ying. He writhed and moaned, unable to keep his voice down. Just as he thought he was getting close, the carriage came to a halt.

Wei Wuxian poked his head in. "I thought you guys were up to something."

Lan Zhan didn't react at all, but Lan Wangji looked like he had seen a ghost. He dropped Wei Ying and shrunk back nervously, avoiding the other alpha's gaze.

Now that Wei Ying's legs weren't up anymore, Lan Zhan sat up and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. "He's cute," he said.

"He is," Wei Wuxian. He looked over Wei Ying, he'd pulled the carriage up at the side of the road so he could climb in the back of his carriage with them. "Can I join?"

"I don't mind..." Wei Ying said, glancing at Wei Wuxian.

Lan Zhan eyed Lan Wangji, who still didn't want to look at Wei Wuxian. He nodded, though he still looked nervous. Lan Zhan was curious, but he didn't ask why he was acting like that. He sort of looked like he wanted to be left in the background.

Lan Zhan asked Wei Ying, "Will you sit in my alpha's lap instead?"

Wei Wuxian took a seat in the carriage and pat his lap with a grin. Wei Ying looked a little hesitant, sparing a glance at Lan Wangji before he shuffled off his lap and sat down on Wei Wuxian's.

"You're a pretty thing, aren't you?" Wei Wuxian cooed. He seemed to pay no mind that this was another version of _himself_ and ran his hands all over him before turning his head to kiss him.

Lan Zhan crawled over and sat in front of Wei Ying, though he thoughtfully left room for Lan Wangji to be able to see what was happening. He traced the claim scar with an index finger and then leaned in to bite the delicate skin over his collarbone.

Wei Ying whined into Wei Wuxian's mouth. He couldn't help looking over to Lan Wangji once he was free before turning to Lan Zhan.

"Continue what you were doing before... I was so close," he said.

Lan Zhan smiled a bit, amused and excited. “Can you say please?” he asked.

Wei Ying looked at Lan Zhan with puppy dog eyes. He was pretty good at getting what he wanted. "Please..."

That satisfied Lan Zhan greatly. He gave Wei Wuxian an excited glance before he said. “Hold him open for me.”

Wei Wuxian grasped Wei Ying's thighs and held them up towards his chest, exposing him towards Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan hummed and then settled down like he had before, burying himself between Wei Ying’s legs and shoving his tongue inside him. This time he also added two fingers and curled them up to where he knew Wei Ying’s sweet spot would be.

Wei Ying let out a loud moan. Lan Zhan definitely knew what he was doing, curling right into all the good places. Like this, it didn't take him long to cum.

Lan Zhan licked up the gush of slick and then sat back up. He didn’t wipe his mouth this time but just leaned in to kiss Wei Ying deeply.

Wei Ying was happy to kiss back, even though he could taste himself on Lan Zhan's lips. Despite being fascinated with the sight of the two omegas, Wei Wuxian spared a glance over at Lan Wangji to gauge his reaction.

Lan Wangji jumped slightly and looked away. He had been as happy as a peach to watch the omegas, but he had been hoping that Wei Wuxian would be distracted by them and ignore him. He pulled his robes back together since he had forgotten that Lan Zhan had peeled them apart.

Wei Wuxian watched as he turned his head the other way and let out a thoughtful hum. He was so skittish for an alpha... interesting. He turned his attention back to Lan Zhan and Wei Ying.

"Lan Zhan, are you going to fuck him?" he asked.

Lan Zhan nipped at Wei Ying’s bottom lip and looked him up and down. Then he said, “Lan Wangji, do I have permission to fuck your omega?”

He turned to look at his alpha self, who looked a little terrified. He had asked to see if he would toughen up a bit, but Lan Wangji only nodded quickly, so Lan Zhan turned back to Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian and asked both of them, “Do you want me to?”

"If you aren't going to, I will," Wei Wuxian said.

Wei Ying's cheeks were still red as he calmed down from his orgasm. He licked his lips as he glanced between the two of them. "I'm... okay with either of you."

Lan Zhan dragged his bottom lip through his teeth. “You’ll take both of us eventually,” he said. “But I want it this time. Wei Wuxian, lay back against that bag and pull him with you.”

"Bo...Both of you?" Wei Ying squeaked. He was soon cut off by Wei Wuxian adjusting to lay down against the bag, dragging Wei Ying down with him, holding his legs still spread.

Lan Zhan couldn’t stop himself from sticking two fingers back inside Wei Ying and thrusting a little. He was obsessed with this little pussy... he suddenly understood what Wei Wuxian meant by being willing to live inside of Lan Zhan’s.

“I always knew you would be a pretty omega,” Lan Zhan said to his mate. “So tiny. Look at how small his cock is.”

"Even I'm blown away by just how pretty he is. Lan Wangji got a real catch here," Wei Wuxian said.

Wei Ying huffed and squirmed on Lan Zhan's fingers, still sensitive. "Don't talk about me like I'm not here."

“Why not?” Lan Zhan asked honestly. “Do you not like just being a pretty thing to fuck?”

He took out his fingers and stuck them in his mouth. He sucked on them before popping them out and saying, “If you don’t like something we’re doing then say yellow. If you want to stop everything then say red.”

Wei Ying nodded quickly. "I'm okay. I would just like it even more if you told me that I'm a pretty thing to fuck rather than telling each other."

Wei Wuxian couldn't help but laugh at that.

Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian truly were the same person. Lan Zhan took off his lacy collar and untied his robes. He took off his boots, pants and underwear but he kept everything else on.

“If you want to make something for me you can,” he said cryptically to Wei Wuxian before he turned back to Wei Ying and stroked himself to full hardness. When he was ready, he pushed himself inside, keeping eye contact with Wei Wuxian.

He breath stuttered. It was so wet and textured on the inside — it felt _amazing_.

Needless to say, this is not how Wei Ying expected that this carriage ride would end up. He leaned back into Wei Wuxian and let out another stuttering moan, his toes curling. Lan Zhan's cock couldn't hold a candle to Lan Wangji's but it was definitely still bigger than his own.

Wei Wuxian pressed a kiss to his cheek and whispered in his ear: "You take it so well, don't you? You were made to take cock. Such a pretty thing..."

"Yes... Yes, I was... ah... feels good," Wei Ying whined.

Satisfied with that answer, Wei Wuxian summoned a tentacle to slide around the group and slip between Lan Zhan's cheeks to rub against his opening.

Lan Zhan almost pointed out what Wei Ying had said about Lan Wangji’s size, but he was feeling generous and decided to leave his other self alone for now and let him watch passively. He spread his legs a bit to accommodate his little friend and then started to move.

He had gotten good at doing this over the past few years, and his thrusts were just as powerful as Wei Wuxian’s now. He noted with amusement that the carriage was jolting with each hit of his hips; Wei Wuxian had wisely put stops on the wheels, apparently. The poor horses were used to this by now.

Lan Zhan was definitely a lot more rough than Lan Wangji, Wei Ying found. He leaned his head back, grasping desperately at whatever he could reach as he was pounded, gasping and moaning with every breath.

"Oh Gods," he cried.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian kept peppering kisses over Wei Ying's face while he had the tentacle slid inside Lan Zhan and thrust inside him.

Lan Wangji was feeling a number of things, but he focused mainly on how strange it was to watch his omega being ruined like this by two other men. He would expect himself to be too protective to enjoy something like that, but... Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian weren't just any other men. He especially liked watching Lan Zhan, and he wasn't sure why. It was like watching himself, but... also not. Lan Zhan really was a beautiful omega, and seeing two beautiful omegas kissing was something Lan Wangji had never realized would be so captivating. But he supposed that, again, the fact that it was Lan Zhan made it better.

After a few minutes of brutal pounding, Lan Zhan's thrusts finally stuttered and Lan Wangji suspected that he had just had an orgasm and would stop, but after a few seconds he just started back up again. He was always amazed by how omegas' bodies worked...

Wei Wuxian had let go of one of Wei Ying's legs so he could wrap his hand around his cock and pump it in time with Lan Zhan's thrusts.

Wei Ying had tears in his eyes as he came, squirming in Wei Wuxian's hold. "Oh Gods, oh Gods, fuck...!"

Lan Zhan kept going, though he slowed down a bit and mouthed at Wei Ying's collarbone at the same time. The tentacle inside him felt so nice as it always did, and he moaned softly against the other omega's delicate skin.

Wei Wuxian spared a glance at Lan Wangji before he began to speak again. "Lan Wangji is a lucky man, isn't he? Having a pretty little slut like you to sit on his cock whenever he wants? You can take so much, can't you?"

"Yeah...! Oh, mmm... I love being fucked, I- Ah, I'm more horny than he is," Wei Ying replied.

"Oh yeah?" Wei Wuxian said with a hint of amusement.

Lan Wangji pulled his knees up and hugged them, feeling self-conscious.

“That’s hard to believe,” Lan Zhan said, still slowly fucking him. “All I wanted from Wei Wuxian at first was sex. Maybe it’s an omega thing.”

"Lan Wangji... ah, took some coaxing before we had sex..." Wei Ying said breathily. He let out another raspy moan.

Lan Zhan paused for a few seconds, but he put it out of his mind. He would figure out his other self eventually, but not then. He didn’t want to think about it anymore.

About five minutes later he started to speed up again. The tentacle was fucking him a little harder now and he was getting close. He nipped at Wei Ying’s collarbone again and then looked up at Wei Wuxian through hazy eyes.

Wei Wuxian leaned over Wei Ying to capture Lan Zhan's lips in his, kissing him deeply.

Lan Zhan opened his mouth and moaned against Wei Wuxian’s right as he came for the second time. He dropped his head on Wei Ying’s shoulder and panted softly, considering whether he wanted to keep going or not.

Wei Ying came again seconds after that, dripping into Wei Wuxian's fist. He panted against his arm, feeling a little sleepy.

"Are you done, Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian asked softly.

Lan Zhan hummed thoughtfully. “I think I’m satisfied,” he said. Then he picked his head up and looked down at Wei Ying. “But I want to kiss you some more.”

"Be my guest," Wei Ying said.

Wei Wuxian let go of Wei Ying carefully and sat him down on the carriage seat so Lan Zhan could do whatever he liked with him. His tentacle pulled out of Lan Zhan and dissipated.

After putting his pants back on, Lan Zhan scooted over to Wei Ying and kissed him repeatedly. His lips were so soft and warm, his cheeks hot from his blushing. Lan Zhan liked it very much.

Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan and kissed him back. He liked this a lot as well, but he did enjoy kissing a lot anyway.

Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying into his lap and got comfortable. He crooned quietly against Wei Ying’s lips and ran his hands all over his heated body before settling them around his face. He tugged on his bottom lip and then nipped at it.

Wei Wuxian was content to just watch the two omegas for a little while before he eventually turned to Lan Wangji and saddled up by his side.

"You okay there?" he asked.

Lan Wangji nervously scooted away a few inches before he could think about it. He nodded quickly. “I’m fine,” he said, though the way his voice broke made it not very believable.

Wei Wuxian looked Lan Wangji up and down. "Do you want to kiss me?"

_Oh Gods._ Lan Wangji wasn’t ready for this. He buried his face in his arms and made some kind of squeak or other pathetic noise. He thought he might pass out, with all the blood in his body going to his face.

Wei Wuxian couldn't decipher if that was a yes or a no so he shuffled closer to him and put a hand on his knee.

Lan Wangji jumped slightly and sat up, only to scoot away once more. He saw Lan Zhan staring at him in his peripheral vision and that only made him more nervous. He felt judged by his omega self.

“Wei Wuxian,” Lan Zhan called, taking pity on him. “Come here, we will take care of you.”

Wei Wuxian huffed a bit but scooted back over to Wei Ying and Lan Zhan.

Lan Wangji breathed out in relief and pulled over his bag so he could dig out Blue and hug it.

Lan Zhan half crawled into Wei Wuxian’s lap and kissed him. “Do you want to fuck one of us or get a handjob?” he asked. Then he glanced at Wei Ying. “Do you like sucking cock?”

Wei Ying nodded and Wei Wuxian's eyes lit up immediately. It was a rare treat to get Lan Zhan's mouth on his cock but if Wei Ying enjoyed it then... He shuffled to untie his laces and pull his cock out of his pants.

"It's all yours," he said coyly.

Wei Ying looked down at Wei Wuxian's cock and his breath hitched. Of course, he'd seen it before when he and Lan Wangji had observed this world, but up close like this, it was different. It wasn't as big as Lan Wangji's so he knew he could handle it, but even so...

He shuffled down to sit on his knees between Wei Wuxian's legs and started to lick.

Lan Zhan sat down next to him with his knee bent and propped up on Wei Wuxian’s thigh. He leaned in to kiss and mouth at his mate’s neck, and his hand drifted down under Wei Wuxian’s balls. He found that spot on his perineum and pressed in.

Wei Wuxian let out a groan and tilted his head to one side to allow Lan Zhan to kiss him more. His hand ran through Wei Ying's hair, tugging on it lightly to encourage him to take the head of his cock into his mouth, which he did.

It was fascinating to watch. Lan Zhan tucked his head into Wei Wuxian’s neck so he could stare. It was such a degrading position to be in, which was why he didn’t like doing it, but it didn’t surprise him that Wei Ying liked it. Wei Wuxian had always been fond of being degraded. While he watched, he rubbed his fingers in circles over that sweet spot behind his balls.

Wei Ying took Wei Wuxian's cock as deep into his mouth as he could. It was a struggle but he managed to slip most of it down his throat.

The combined sensations had Wei Wuxian cumming quickly. He moaned and tugged on Wei Ying's hair, giving him a quick warning before he came in his mouth.

Lan Zhan kissed over Wei Wuxian’s neck and jaw, then sighed. “Was that good?” he asked.

"Yeah," Wei Wuxian breathed.

Wei Ying pulled away and swallowed, then licked his lips.

Lan Zhan kissed his cheek. “Do you want me to sit with you up front?” he asked. “The more we stay in one spot the less time we get at Lotus Pier.”

"That's true. Come on then," Wei Wuxian said. He tucked his cock back in his pants.

Lan Zhan put his robes back in order and grabbed his collar to tie back on before he joined Wei Wuxian at the front of the carriage, sitting pretty next to him.

“What do you think Jiang Wanyin will think?” he asked.

"That there's two of us? I don't know. I'm interested to see his reaction to Wei Ying though," Wei Wuxian said as he sat down and started back up.

Wei Ying redressed himself carefully and sat beside Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji crooned and leaned over to kiss the side of Wei Ying’s head. He felt much better now that Wei Wuxian wasn’t in the carriage anymore.

“You ok?” he asked quietly.

"Yeah. I'm good," Wei Ying said. He nuzzled up against him before climbing back into his lap. "What about you? Are you okay?"

“Mm.” Lan Wangji put Blue to the side so he could cuddle Wei Ying instead. He could see the bite marks Lan Zhan had left on his collarbones and he traced them. “Does it hurt?” he asked.

Wei Ying shook his head. "No, I'm okay. I'd just heal them if it bothered me."

Lan Wangji sighed and pulled the string so the back leather flap opened and they could see the road behind them. “I wonder how far away from Lotus Pier we are,” he said quietly. “What has changed there?”

"I don't know but... I am sleepy. I think I'm going to take a nap. Keep holding me?" Wei Ying asked as he leaned against his chest.

Lan Wangji rubbed his back and propped his chin on Wei Ying’s head. “Of course,” he said.

Wei Ying smiled and closed his eyes. He was so comfortable here with him, especially after so many orgasms. It was easy for him to fall fast asleep in Lan Wangji's arms.


	2. Surprise! There's four of us now!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan are traveling to Lotus Pier when Lan Wangji and Wei Ying show up. Lan Wangji gets ownership papers for Wei Ying, then Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian get a piece of Wei Ying in the back of the carriage.
> 
> This chapter: They arrive in Lotus Pier.

It was nighttime when they stopped at a small village to rest. Lan Wangji knew this village from his travels at home. There were no guards stationed to ask about papers, since it was so small. There was a little inn towards the outskirts, and once the horses were unpacked, Lan Wangji took his and Wei Ying’s bags and went inside along with Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian.

Before they parted ways, Lan Wangji paused and said to the other two, “Will you come to our room so we may talk about what happened?“

Wei Wuxian looked towards Lan Zhan and then nodded. The two of them followed Wei Ying and Lan Wangji to their room.

Lan Wangji took his notebook out from his bag and sat down on the bed. He spoke quietly so that no one in the surrounding rooms would hear.

“It is August in our world. Last month, Lotus Pier was attacked by the Wen Sect. We want to know how it happened here, and if the events are the same.”

Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying joined Lan Wangji on the bed, sitting either side of him. Wei Ying leaned his head against Lan Wangji's arm. As intrigued as he was about what had happened, he knew this was going to be a time of recalling awful events.

"The Jiangs received the first letter from the Wens over winter break. They wanted our assistance in building an omega facility, to use Lotus Pier as a trial run. They thought they would appeal to me and Jiang Wanyin, as two alphas, by giving us the opportunity of making a wife out of any of the omegas that went into the facility. We declined, of course, and they got... very angry with us. So, come our next break, in my second year in Gusu..." Wei Wuxian began. He took a deep breath. "Lan Zhan and I were going to get married. Uncle Jiang had gone to meet with Lan Zhan's father, Lan Qingheng, and he was going to come back with the rest of Lan Zhan's family for the wedding. But... before it could happens, the Wens attacked. They killed and burned everything they could... and they took me, Lan Zhan, Jiang Yanli, and Jiang Wanyin captive. They..." Wei Wuxian paused and swallowed roughly. He glanced at Lan Zhan. "Lan Zhan, can you finish?"

Lan Zhan looked to Lan Wangji, who was writing this down. “How much do you want to know?”

“As much as you can say.”

Lan Zhan sighed. “They took the omegas into a room. They intended to kill us. They had blocked Madame Yu and Jiang Yanli’s magic, but they assumed I was a servant and didn’t put a collar on me. I was dressed differently that day. We had our hands tied, but Jiang Yanli freed mine and I took out the guard. They put Jiang Wanyin in there as well, and they had... changed his body. He no longer produces alpha pheromones or has ruts. I think they were trying to turn him into an omega, but it didn’t work. They also changed Wei Wuxian temporarily, something to make him extremely aggressive.”

He waited for Lan Wangji to finish writing that, then he continued. “They put Wei Wuxian in the room with us. He attacked us, and Jiang Wanyin and I fought him and held him down until he regained consciousness. A little while later Lan Qingheng and Jiang Fengmian came to rescue us. Wei Wuxian had... Madame Yu had died.”

“Is that all that happened during the event?”

“Mm.”

“What about after?”

“The Wens started to attack other places. They intimidated the Jin family into submission, and then other powerful families surrendered as well. I think it was within a few months. Our fathers had managed to take us back because their armies were in other places. Once they gained control, they started putting those places under strict rules about what omegas could or couldn’t do. Two years after the attack, we got a letter from the king saying that our university was to adhere to those rules.”

“They didn’t attack the university?”

“No.”

"The Wens aren't idiots. They would've never won against the University in an all-out battle. But once they had control of the monarchy, there wasn't anything we could do," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji hummed and wrote the rest of that down.

"What happened on your side?" Lan Zhan asked him.

"I was not involved in the attack," Lan Wangji said. "I was in Gusu when I heard about it. I went to the Wen estate, but by then Wei Ying had been rescued by Jiang Wanyin. They told me that Wei Ying was dead. I don't know why. I... got revenge, then left."

"Revenge?"

Lan Wangji nodded.

"Wen Chao... wanted to marry me," Wei Ying said quietly. "Or at least make me his concubine. When we said no, the Wens attacked a little later."

Wei Wuxian felt a pang of sadness at the thought. He couldn't imagine the sort of things that Wei Ying went through, how his life could be so different because he was an omega.

“What revenge did you take?” Lan Zhan insisted.

Lan Wangj shifted uncomfortably. “I eunuchized him,” he mumbled. Quickly moving on, he reviewed what he had written. "So we have a few months at the most," he said. "Once we get back..."

He looked between Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian. "If you could go back to right after the attack, would you do anything differently?"

Wei Wuxian pressed his lips together and looked over at Lan Zhan. "With hindsight, a warning to everyone involved would've been good. If we could've banded together right after the attack and gone after the Wens ourselves..."

Lan Wangji nodded. "I should have killed Wen Ruohan when I was there," he muttered.

"There's no way we could've known it would turn out like this," Wei Ying said quietly. "I'd rather you didn't preemptively kill people."

"Would it be a preemptive move if they killed my mate's family?" Lan Wangji wondered out loud. Then he asked Wei Ying, "Do you think it will be difficult to convince the Jins that this is the truth?"

"Jiejie will be able to convince Jin Zixuan and I'm sure they'll listen to him," Wei Ying said. He took a deep breath and leaned his forehead on Lan Wangji's arm.

"I think you should spread the word to the public," Lan Zhan said. "But be choosy. Seek out Shi Qianmu at the Gusu farm and other alpha women. They have been the most vocal against the Wens here. If you can get the Companions to spread out and convince people that what the Wens are doing is wrong, then maybe it will be more difficult for them to take over."

Wei Ying nodded. "We have to form a plan of action. We won't let what happened here happen to our world too... and then... once we've done that, maybe we can help fix your world."

Lan Zhan liked the sound of that. "That will be more difficult," he said. "The Wens have the king under their thumb here."

"I don't know how yet but we will think of something," Wei Ying said.

Wei Wuxian couldn't help but smile. "Thank you, both of you."

Lan Wangji tapped his pencil on his lip. "We have a week to figure out how to stop them in our world," he said. "Wen Ruohan told me that he was going to take care of other things before dealing with the university, so I think it will go the same way."

"Where did you get that amulet?" Lan Zhan asked.

"The Wens had it," Lan Wangji said.

"Have you ever seen this kind of magic before?" Lan Zhan asked.

Lan Wangji hesitated and glanced at Wei Ying. "In my travels I've come across artifacts from an ancient civilization. The language that we saw on those artifacts matches the language on the amulet. It is... I believe, very advanced magic. If it is magic at all."

"We don't know what they wanted it for but it can't be anything good. That is, if they even know how to use it," Wei Ying said, shaking his head.

Wei Wuxian hummed. "Is it possible they have one in this world too?"

Lan Wangji nodded. "It is possible," he said. "Though I don't think they would know where it came from or its significance, unless they have scholars that know about that ancient society. I only came across it during a mission. While it is possible that Wen scholars came across ruins as well, I don’t think it’s likely. But the amulet is very easy to use. It just requires an alpha and omega's magic at the same time in order to visit another world invisibly. We had to search for a dark magic ritual in order to come here completely, though.”

"It all depends whether they know what it's used for. If they do then it's possible that they maybe want to expand their regime beyond their own world. If they don't know what it's for then well..." Wei Ying said.

"We need someone on the inside," Wei Wuxian said. "A Wen who isn't all bad that can give us some kind of insight as to what is actually going on."

"They have omegas there," Lan Wangji said. “I am sure they are not fond of the Wen ideology.”

"What were those pendants you had?" Lan Zhan asked.

Lan Wangji paused, then brought out the pendants from his pocket. "They're from the ancient civilization. If you put magic into one, the other lights up." He demonstrated it while Lan Zhan took one of the pendants to look at.

"How would we even find someone on the inside though? Do we just walk in?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Zhan looked at Wei Wuxian warily. He knew Wei Wuxian's feelings about this matter. "They want me to be the head of healing," he said. "I refused, so they have me research at the university instead..."

"They'd probably be suspicious if you said yes now, right? But if we could go... their healing department will no doubt be full of omegas. They'd be our best shot at finding someone on the inside properly," Wei Ying said.

Wei Wuxian looked skeptical. He didn't like the idea of Lan Zhan going to the Wens.

"I've always been cooperative with Wen Chao," Lan Zhan said. "Wei Wuxian could offer to send me there for a certain amount of time, or take me himself. Just so I can see how their healing department works and if it's even possible to get information." He looked at Wei Wuxian. "You would need to make it a convincing offer. What would you get in return? Maybe I want more initiative in my research instead of having an official telling me what to experiment on?"

"As much as I don't like the idea of you being there, I don't mind as long as I get to be there. I can always enhance your magic, you know?" Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan nodded.

"You won't be doing this before we leave," Lan Wangji clarified.

Lan Zhan shook his head. "I want to see Su Ming," he said. "We should plan what we're going to do. And what _you're_ going to do when you go back."

"Let's just get some rest and get to Lotus Pier. Maybe Jiang Wanyin will have some insight and... I think we could all use a breather right now as we try to figure out what we're going to do, right? Lotus Pier will be the safest place to do that," Wei Wuxian said.

Wei Ying nodded and nuzzled up closer to Lan Wangji. "All of this has made me pretty tired."

Lan Wangji instinctively crooned and looked at him. He wanted to tease him about how it wasn't even nine yet, but he figured leaving it unsaid was just the same. "Let us sleep then," he said.

Lan Zhan handed the pendant back to Lan Wangji and stood up. He kind of wanted to sleep in the same bed and not even go back to their own room, but... this bed was small. Lan Wangji was a big man, and him plus the rest would not fit at all. He would just have to trust that they'd still be there in the morning.

Wei Wuxian smiled fondly at the way Lan Wangji and Wei Ying cuddled up together. He couldn't help leaning over to press a kiss to Wei Ying's forehead, making him let out a small noise.

"That's probably a good idea. Goodnight you two," he said before turning to Lan Zhan.

Lan Wangji's heart was racing, but he did what he had been doing all day and put it out of his mind. It didn't matter if Wei Wuxian kissed Wei Ying's forehead, or did anything really. Nothing to get worked up about.

Once the other two had left, Lan Wangji went to go get their clothes from their bags so they could get ready for bed.

"Who knew all this world hopping would make a man so sleepy?" Wei Ying said with a sigh, rolling onto his back on the bed.

Lan Wangji dressed in his night clothes and washed his face, then brought over a damp cloth to rub it over Wei Ying's face for him. "Does my sleepy husband want me to dress him too?" he asked, a hint of a tease in his voice.

A grin spread over Wei Ying's face. He loved it unabashedly when Lan Wangji babied him. He made grabby hands out towards him. "Yes please."

Lan Wangji smiled and sat down on the bed. He pulled off the pretty robe he'd bought that day and carefully slid on the soft shirt, then took off his boots, socks pants and underwear and put on the rest of the nightclothes, happily crooning the whole time. When he was done, he folded the old clothes and set them on the floor, then pulled the covers down on the bed and curled up with Wei Ying.

"Thank you, my lovely handsome man," Wei Ying cooed as he got comfortable in Lan Wangji's arms. As soon as he was, he let out a purr and rested his cheek against his chest, ready to fall asleep.

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, was not ready to fall asleep. He was tired, but he was so wound up by everything that had happened that day that he was pacing the room before he even knew what he was doing.

"Lan Zhan, please sit down," Wei Wuxian said from the bed. He'd taken off his shoes and was looking mildly concerned as Lan Zhan did nothing but pace.

Lan Zhan did a double-take before he realized he had been stuck in his head. He hummed and went to get ready for bed. He hadn't said anything to Wei Wuxian about this, not really. When he had joined him up front on the carriage he had just sat and enjoyed the closeness, and tried to think about what the implications of the other two were.

When he did sit down at the edge of the bed, he started bouncing his leg restlessly. "What does this all mean?" he asked.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Wei Wuxian replied. He shuffled up to wrap his arms around Lan Zhan's waist and rest his cheek on his shoulder, letting out a soft croon as he did.

Lan Zhan shook his head, though the calming scent of the croon helped him stop fidgeting at least. "There's another... an entire world that... where I'm an alpha."

"And I'm an omega. They're also three years behind us. It's all kind of crazy but... we just have to take things as they come. Maybe they can help us," Wei Wuxian said.

Wei Wuxian always took things in stride. That was one thing Lan Zhan admired about him. "Lan Wangji makes me uneasy," Lan Zhan admitted. "I am not sure why." After a moment he added, "Curiosity, maybe."

Wei Wuxian let out a hum. "He seems pretty different to you in a lot of ways, whereas my omega self is quite like me. But I'm sure you two are the same deep down. You'll work it out."

Lan Zhan brooded over that, then he nodded. "Can you make me feel better?" he asked shamelessly.

"What would my darling husband like tonight?" Wei Wuxian asked with a teasing lilt and a smile. He pressed gentle kisses up the side of his neck.

Lan Zhan considered his options. "I want it simple," he said. He scooted back and flopped back on the bed, undoing the laces on his pants. "Maybe use your tongue first to get me ready."

"Gladly," Wei Wuxian replied. He chuckled and shuffled to sit between Lan Zhan's legs, happily helping him pull his pants from his body so he was exposed.

With a hum, he kissed a path up Lan Zhan's inner thighs, admiring every inch of him as he went, until he finally reached his prize. Wei Wuxian gave Lan Zhan's cock a little kiss before he moved down to lick broadly over his entrance.

Lan Zhan closed his eyes and sighed. He placed his hands on Wei Wuxian’s head and pet him while he worked, feeling the little tingles of pleasure between his legs. It was relaxing and he found himself going limp after a little while.

But eventually Lan Zhan started to squirm. “Use your fingers,” he said. “Or make me a friend.”

"I thought you wanted to keep it simple?" Wei Wuxian said with a smile. He pulled back and licked his lips before easing two of his fingers inside Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan looked down at him. “I need to be more open for you to fuck me,” he said.

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes with a hint of fondness. He chose not to press the issue and start to thrust his fingers in and out of Lan Zhan's entrance.

That was more intense than it had been, and Lan Zhan tensed up a little. He placed his feet on Wei Wuxian‘s shoulders and lifted his hips slightly, his hands digging into Wei Wuxian’s hair.

They had been having sex for four years now, so he more or less knew how much it took before he was ready for Wei Wuxian’s girth. “Wei Wuxian,” he said breathlessly. “Fuck me?”

"Of course darling," Wei Wuxian cooed. He shuffled up and pulled his fingers out, wiping them carelessly on the leg of his pants before shuffling out of his clothes. He lined himself up and eased his way inside him with a groan.

Lan Zhan breathed out heavily. No matter how many times they did this, he would never get over how good it felt to have Wei Wuxian inside him. He arched his back a little and untied his robes so he could open them.

Wei Wuxian's greedy hands were eager to touch the new exposed skin as he sunk all the way in and took a deep breath.

"Good?" he asked.

Lan Zhan nodded quickly. He followed suit and ran his hands over Wei Wuxian’s body, going from his hips to his sides and chest and shoulders.

Wei Wuxian took that as his cue to move. He leaned down to pepper kisses over Lan Zhan's face before he began to thrust carefully inside him.

"Did you have fun today? Was it nice fucking Wei Ying?" he asked after a moment.

Lan Zhan made a noise in the back of his throat. “Yes,” he said in a tight voice. “How can a slut be so innocent?”

"Was he nice and tight? Wet? Just like you are for me right now?" Wei Wuxian continued, squeezing Lan Zhan's sides.

Lan Zhan nodded. “Mhmm-“ He squirmed and squeezed a little around him.

"Do you want to watch me fuck him?" Wei Wuxian asked in a husky voice. His thrusts sped up and he wrapped a hand around Lan Zhan's cock to pump it in time.

Instinctively, Lan Zhan let out a quiet growl. He wasn’t particularly jealous, but apparently his instincts thought he should be. He blushed and squeezed Wei Wuxian’s sides.

That only egged Wei Wuxian on. He grinned and pumped Lan Zhan's cock faster.

"Or are you jealous? His mouth felt so nice around my cock earlier, I can only imagine how sweet his pussy will taste," he said.

Lan Zhan growled again, though he felt conflicted and flustered. It wasn’t helping that Wei Wuxian was touching him like that; the fluster only made him feel more intensely.

“Not jealous,” he grunted.

"No? Then what are you growling at me for?" Wei Wuxian asked. He squeezed his hip with a hum.

Lan Zhan squirmed, feeling himself getting close. “I’m not,” he said helplessly.

Wei Wuxian couldn't help but laugh. He pressed a big, wet kiss on Lan Zhan's cheek.

The laughing made it worse. “I hate you,” Lan Zhan whined even though he didn’t mean it at all. He squirmed harder, not like he was trying to move away but just in frustration.

"You love me," Wei Wuxian said. He kept Lan Zhan pinned down as he fucked in harder and faster, still pumping his cock as quickly as he could.

That was more than enough. Lan Zhan squeaked and curled himself up into Wei Wuxian while his body shuddered. The orgasm blanked his mind out completely and he just collapsed back with a soft, “I do.”

The rawness of Lan Zhan's words made Wei Wuxian's gaze soften. He leaned down to kiss him as he chased his own ends, climaxing deep inside and letting his knot spread him apart.

Lan Zhan had taken up where Wei Wuxian had left off and pumped his cock again, and the knot send him overboard for a second time. He let out a quiet moan and lay back on the bed, his heart beating hard in his chest.

"I love you too. I love you so much," Wei Wuxian said fondly. He flopped against him and nuzzled against his neck.

Lan Zhan pressed a long kiss to Wei Wuxian's cheek in response.

He lay there silently for a little while, until his thoughts started to drift. "Wei Ying said that Lan Wangji almost tore him in half the first time he was in him," he murmured. "I don't think he was talking about the knot."

"I mean, have you seen your alpha self? He's _huge_. It'd come as no surprise that his dick is massive too," Wei Wuxian replied.

Lan Zhan pondered over that. He put his hands together to make a circle about the size of Wei Wuxian’s girth. Then he opened it up a little, wondering exactly how much bigger Lan Wangji would have to be.

“I’m glad you’re not that big,” he said.

"Would it have scared you off at the beginning? If my dick had been huge?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Zhan nodded. “Probably,” he said. “It would be sad. I like it when you fuck me.”

Wei Wuxian kissed his claim mark on the side of his neck. "I like fucking you too."

Lan Zhan hummed happily. He was about to mention that he looked forward to seeing Jiang Wanyin’s reaction to meeting an omega version of Wei Wuxian, but he didn’t. He didn’t want to ruin the mood. He kissed Wei Wuxian’s cheek again and closed his eyes, enjoying Wei Wuxian’s weight on him.

"I've talked pretty openly about wanting to fuck my omega self... Would you want to fuck Lan Wangji?" Wei Wuxian asked.

That made Lan Zhan open his eyes. The thought was... interesting. “Didn’t I just say that size would have scared me away?” he asked.

"Right but that was when you were a virgin," Wei Wuxian mused.

Lan Zhan tilted his head and looked into the distance, thinking about it. He thought about being in the carriage, and he decided to tell Wei Wuxian about it.

“He fascinates me,” he said. “I am conflicted about it, but... there is chemistry. I like his arms. In the carriage after we ate, I felt them. He let me open his robes. His abdomen is... soft, but you can feel that it is unbelievably hard underneath. You can see a line down his stomach where the muscles are. Happy trail like yours.” He tickled the hair below Wei Wuxian’s navel.

It made Wei Wuxian let out a puff of laughter.

"It's funny. He's nothing like I thought he would be," he said. "I'm curious to see how different he is from you."

“Maybe he just needs to be alone,” Lan Zhan said. “Perhaps Wei Ying tames him. He seemed to enjoy having us both in his lap.”

"They're cute together, aren't they? Wei Ying is a lot smaller than I thought he'd be too..." Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan hummed. “Wei Ying is just what I expected,” he said. “I am surprised at how big Lan Wangji is. But he is a mercenary... he kills bandits and fights for a living. I want to hold his sword. Did you see it?”

Wei Wuxian nodded. "Yeah. It was huge and for once, I don't think he's actually overcompensating."

That made Lan Zhan smile a little. “I want to see him fight you,” he said. “Hold you down with one hand...”

Wei Wuxian's cock twitched a little.

"And then?" he coaxed.

Lan Zhan felt it and his smile widened a little. “I want it to be effortless,” he continued. “I’m sure it would be. You are strong, but... those arms of his... you’d struggle but you wouldn’t move an inch.”

"I don't think he'd have the nerve to do anything with my submission," Wei Wuxian replied.

“Why?” Lan Zhan asked. “Because he turned the other way when you approached?”

"He's either flustered by me or not into alphas. Given the fact that you are very much into omegas, my bet is on the former," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan shook his head, though he didn’t argue. There was something strange about Lan Wangji. Lan Zhan didn’t know what to make of it.

“I think he just likes to watch,” he said eventually.

"Maybe," Wei Wuxian said. His knot went down and he pulled out of Lan Zhan carefully before flopping on the bed next to him.

Lan Zhan pushed the covers down on the bed and slipped under them so he could curl up next to Wei Wuxian. “I think I will keep you company on the front tomorrow too,” he said. “Being that close to them makes me restless.”

"And Wei Ying's pussy probably needs a break," Wei Wuxian said with a chuckle. He wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan. "Do you think they're having sex?"

“Probably,” Lan Zhan said. “If they are like us, then... everyday.”

"Poor Wei Ying," Wei Wuxian replied. He closed his eyes and buried his nose against Lan Zhan's neck.

“I’m sure he is used to it,” Lan Zhan said. He yawned and then snuggled up more until he was completely comfortable, then put out the lights with his magic. “Goodnight,” he whispered.

"Goodnight my love," Wei Wuxian whispered back. It didn't take him long to fall asleep like that.

\--

They traveled for two more days. Once they reached the city nearest to Lotus Pier, Lan Zhan took a deep breath and crawled back into the carriage where Wei Ying and Lan Wangji sat.

“We are close to Lotus Pier,” he said. “Wei Ying, what is your relationship with your brother?”

"Jiang Cheng and I have always been pretty close. I mean... obviously there's some strain there because... well, when he was alive, Uncle Jiang... looked after me a bit more than him. But even after everything that happened, he still came to my wedding..." Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan nodded. “Jiang Fengmian is the same here,” he said. He noticed Lan Wangji shift and look uncomfortable, but he paid it no mind. “I have not seen Jiang Wanyin in a year,” he said. “He and I are on good terms. He took ownership of my friend to save her. But he and Wei Wuxian are... not the same way. You must understand that...” He trailed off and bit his lip.

"I understand. I wonder sometimes if Jiang Cheng had a soft spot because I'm an omega and he feels an obligation to look after me. That'd be different if I were an alpha," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Zhan nodded, and now it was his turn to look uncomfortable. He scooted closer to Wei Ying and spoke quietly. “When the Wens took us and... gave Wei Wuxian something to make him so aggressive... he was the one that killed Madame Yu. Jiang Wanyin watched him tear her throat out with his teeth. It was—“ He swallowed thickly. Even after three years, it was difficult to talk about. “Jiang Wanyin understandably feels... conflicted about him. I was surprised that he accepted the request to visit.”

Wei Ying's eyes widened. He... tore her throat out? It made him feel sick to his stomach. He couldn't even imagine.

"I...Oh," he said.

Lan Zhan looked away. After a moment he registered something strange. “You called him Jiang Cheng,” he said, looking back at Wei Ying. “Is he an omega in your world?”

Wei Ying was happy for the change of topic and he laughed a little, shaking his head.

"No. He's an alpha, I should really call him Jiang Wanyin but it... started as a way to tease him and he's never gotten too mad at me about it. Only I'm allowed to though," he said.

Lan Zhan blinked a few times. That was interesting. Jiang ‘Cheng’ probably really loved Wei Ying then. It was probably going to be interesting seeing a different version that hated him. Or would Jiang Wanyin also be soft on him because he was an omega? That seemed worse. Lan Zhan would have to give Wei Wuxian his support.

“You need to call him Wanyin here,” he said. “I already told you what the Wens did to him. I believe being called his birth name might... upset him more than it normally would.”

Wei Ying nodded. "I understand that. Even if they look the same, it's not like he's my Jiang Cheng anyway..."

Lan Zhan looked at Lan Wangji, who was dressed the same as him today, in his white robes and forehead ribbon. He moved on impulse and sat down next to him. He wished he could see what they both looked like sitting next to each other.

Lan Wangji was thinking the same thing, among other thoughts. What would this Jiang Wanyin be like? It made him nervous, knowing that it was so different...

Wei Ying definitely smiled to himself as he looked at the pair of them. It was an interesting picture, looking so alike yet so different in size.

"You know, I thought it'd be only in my dreams that there were two Lan Zhans," he said.

Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji glanced at each other, then away. “Me too,” Lan Zhan said. “I have dreamt about having two Wei Yings.”

Wei Ying shuffled over and planted himself between Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan, wrapping an arm around each of theirs.

"What happened in your dreams with two Wei Ying's?"

Lan Zhan immediately scooted away. “That is a dangerous question to ask right now,” he said. “We are almost to Lotus Pier. Do not think that I won’t pin you down.”

"It's not my fault if you've got a filthy mind," Wei Ying said with a huff. He leaned his face on Lan Wangji's shoulder.

“Don’t poke the beast when it growls,” Lan Wangji said to him. “Unless you want to get bitten.”

"Lan Wangjiiiii," Wei Ying whined. He pouted at him. "You're supposed to be on my side."

Lan Wangji looked down at him. “I am on your side,” he said. “If I wasn’t then I would encourage you to pester him, wouldn’t I?”

"Next thing I know, you're going to be telling me that you're also having horny dreams about there being two of me," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji was deathly silent. Lan Zhan tried to inspect his expression, but it was serene, as if he were meditating. His face was as thick as Lan Zhan’s when he wanted it to be, apparently.

Lan Zhan really thought he might do something if he sat there any longer, so he climbed back up to the front to join Wei Wuxian.

"You're back quicker than I thought. You really do have a fascination with Wei Ying though," Wei Wuxian said with a light hum.

“Who wouldn’t?” Lan Zhan said. “How much longer now?” He bounced his leg. He was tired of traveling.

"Not long now, don't worry. I'm sure Su Ming is going to be over the moon to see you again," Wei Wuxian said.

“Mmm...” Lan Zhan was equal parts excited and anxious. He sighed and leaned against Wei Wuxian, watching the scenery go by.

Soon enough, the carriage pulled up and they arrived on the outskirts of Lotus Pier. Wei Wuxian helped Lan Zhan out of the carriage and then kept hold of his hand as they waited for Lan Wangji and Wei Ying to leave too.

Lotus Pier was back to its former glory with some small changes. Plant life had been regrown, the river and lakes were clean and full of running water. Lotuses were blooming again. The former Jiang estate had also been rebuilt, similar but not identical to what it had looked like before. However, looming in the distance, was a tall, garish building that was plastered with the Wen's symbol - their Watchtower - and next to it was another large building that was the omega facility.

Jiang Wanyin came out to meet them by the gates but he paused when he saw two people trailing behind Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan.

"Wei Wuxian. Lan Zhan," he addressed coolly.

He didn't look too different to the last time Wei Wuxian had saw him, but he did seem a little stressed... Or perhaps he was simply stressed at the idea of him being there. That was a strong possibility.

"Hey. Thanks for having us," Wei Wuxian replied.

Jiang Wanyin peered over at Lan Wangji and Wei Ying. "I was under the presumption that it was just going to be the two of you. That's what you said in your letter. Who are these people?"

Wei Ying was wrapped around Lan Wangji's arm and couldn't help but beam at Jiang Wanyin. He was older than his Jiang Wanyin, but they were otherwise identical. It was strange to see, to know he was regarding him like someone he had never met before, but for all intents and purposes, this Jiang Wanyin hadn't.

"It's kind of a long story. I'm sure you have a lot of questions... can we come in and talk?" Wei Wuxian suggested.

"...Okay. I will have someone prepare us some tea. Su Ming is inside if you wish to see her, Lan Zhan," Jiang Wanyin replied with a nod. He began making his way into the estate and let everyone else follow.

As they approached the house, the front door burst open and a short woman sailed out. Lan Zhan had only a few seconds of warning to brace himself before Su Ming catapulted into his arms.

“Lan Zhan!!” she cried. “I’ve been waiting so long!”

“Su Ming,” Lan Zhan greeted and pat her back. His voice was rough with a happy purr.

“I’m so happy you’re here! It’s so boring here without you! I mean, I have things to do but the servants are tired of listening to me talk and I’ve run A-yin’s patience dry! I’ve missed your endless perseverance... wait, who’s this hunky man? No, not Hunky Man, the other one? He looks like you!” She gasped, her eyes wide. “Is this a long lost brother?”

“Su Ming,” Lan Zhan said. “Let us go inside. We will explain.”

Su Ming nodded, but she couldn’t stop gaping at Lan Wangji. The alpha in question nodded politely at her and hoped she kept her distance. He thought about the Su Ming back home...

Jiang Wanyin called over one of the servants to make them all some tea. He guided them all to the sitting room and sat down at the low table that was just big enough for them all to sit around. He left a space for Su Ming next to him.

"So, explain," he said.

Wei Wuxian sat down and took a deep breath. He waited for the tea to be poured before he began to speak.

"This is going to sound crazy but... they're... us. As in, Lan Zhan and I. From another world where I'm an omega and Lan Zhan is an alpha. Er, maybe it's best if I let them explain?" he said.

Wei Ying was happy to continue. "Hi! I'm Wei Ying and you look so much like my Jiang Cheng, it's definitely weird but not in a bad way. I mean, Jiang Wanyin, he's an alpha in our world too. Um. Lan Wangji and I, we've been researching this old society and when I got captured by the Wens, I took this amulet..."

He continued to explain everything that had happened up until this point. When he finally caught everyone up, Jiang Wanyin was pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Jiang Wanyin?" Wei Wuxian asked slowly.

"You realise how this sounds? How you sound?" Jiang Wanyin said.

Wei Wuxian scratched the back of his neck. "Yeah."

The room was quiet for a few awkward seconds before Su Ming jumped up. “Wait,” she said, pointing at Lan Wangji. “You’re an alpha version of Lan Zhan?”

Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan both nodded.

“No way,” Su Ming said. “I don’t believe it. Tell me something only Lan Zhan knows. What is your brother’s weird food habit?”

Lan Wangji shifted uncomfortably. Did he have to tattle on Lan Xichen in front of everyone? “He dips pork buns in sweet cream,” he said quietly.

Su Ming asked Lan Zhan, “You didn’t tell him that, did you?”

Lan Zhan shook his head.

Su Ming screamed. “No way! Lan Zhan, why are you so hunky as an alpha? Oh I wish the girls could have seen this...”

“I told you,” Lan Zhan said.

“No, you never said hunky! You said you’d be an asshole!”

Lan Wangji cleared his throat and she quieted down. “We came here to get information to stop the war in our world,” he said.

"We're three years behind you guys," Wei Ying helpfully added. "The Wens have... have only just burnt down... Lotus Pier. But seeing this world has shown us what might happen to us. We want to stop it and... ideally, we can help you put an end to things here too."

Jiang Wanyin looked skeptical. "You want to fight against the Wens?"

"Yes," Wei Ying said.

“We do not have long,” Lan Wangji said. “Perhaps a few months before they conquer everything. In about four days we will return home.”

Wei Ying nodded. "So, we're thinking that we'll formulate some kind of plan and we thought this would be the safest place to discuss this. Or, well, they were planning to come here anyway."

"Yeah," Wei Wuxian replied. "If that's okay with you two. We'd like to relax a bit while we come up with a course of action."

Jiang Wanyin turned to look at Su Ming.

Su Ming did a double take. She had been staring holes into Lan Wangji until then. “What? You’re the alpha.”

Lan Zhan smiled a little. Su Ming was so loud. He had missed her.

"I don't give a shit about that. There's a strange alpha in the house, I'm making sure you're okay with that or whatever but if you don't care," Jiang Wanyin said with a huff. He turned back to Wei Wuxian. "It's fine. Do whatever you want."

Lan Wangji was awkwardly sipping his tea and avoiding the omega’s strong gaze. Lan Zhan took pity on him and decided to distract Su Ming.

“Do you want to show me the farm?” he asked.

Su Ming smiled and nodded, easily taking the bait. “Yes! You will love the goats.”

Wei Wuxian smiled as Lan Zhan got up and scurried off with Su Ming. It was nice to see him happy with his best friend again.

"How have things been here?" Wei Wuxian asked, turning his head back to Jiang Wanyin.

"Fine. Everyone has been working hard," Jiang Wanyin replied. He took a long sip of his tea then looked at Lan Wangji. "I take it you two are... a couple."

Lan Wangji nodded. He wasn't sure what to think about this Jiang Wanyin. It was weird to interact with him like they had never met before. "Recently married," he said.

"Don't worry. The Jiang Wanyin in my world already gave Lan Wangji the shovel talk," Wei Ying said with a light laugh.

Jiang Wanyin didn't say anything to that, he merely looked Wei Ying up and down and then turned his head away, pursing his lips.

This was incredibly awkward. Lan Wangji finished his tea and took a deep breath, then he looked at Wei Ying. "Do you want to go work on our translations?" he asked.

"Yeah! Yeah, sounds good to me," Wei Ying said quickly. He downed the rest of his tea and stood up, letting himself be pulled along by Lan Wangji.

"Is there any bedroom in particular we should use?" Lan Wangji asked Jiang Wanyin. He remembered the layout of the old Jiang estate and where the guest bedrooms were, but he wasn't sure what had been changed.

"Second door on your left down the hall," Jiang Wanyin said. Wei Ying nodded and tugged on Lan Wangji's hand to go there. Wei Wuxian scurried off to find his own room as well.

Lan Zhan and Su Ming stayed out at the farm for an hour or so, then they returned to make dinner. It was nice to get to be with his friend again. They talked about Lan Wangji and Wei Ying, about what other worlds might be out there. Su Ming did most of the talking as usual.

Dinner was awkward but Su Ming managed to make it bearable. She talked about her sewing projects and the crafts she occupied her time with. By the time dinner was over and the dishes had been washed, Lan Zhan had had his ear thoroughly talked off. He said goodbye to Su Ming and retired to the room he and Wei Wuxian had been given. It was right next to Lan Wangji’s and Wei Ying’s room, which he found delightful.

He went up to Wei Wuxian and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?” he asked.

"I'm okay, thank you," Wei Wuxian replied. He put his hands on his and leaned his head against his. "Jiang Wanyin hasn't talked to me much but I didn't expect anything less. Did you have fun with Su Ming at the farm?"

“I did,” Lan Zhan said. “We should go see them in the morning. They have baby goats. You will love them.”

"Jiang Shisong will be happy what was made of his old farm, I'm sure," Wei Wuxian said fondly.

Lan Zhan hummed. “I want to take a bath,” he said. “Do you want to join me?”

"Yeah. That sounds good," Wei Wuxian replied. He turned his head to kiss Lan Zhan's cheek before he stood up.

The Jiangs had fancy bathtubs that had rooms all to themselves. They were big enough for three people to sit comfortably with elbow room. Lan Zhan was excited to take advantage. He went into the bathroom and turned on the faucet. The water here was cold, but with a few minutes of using his magic he could heat it up. He left briefly to go fill up a bowl of goat milk, then he returned and poured it into the bath. He braided his hair and tied it up into a bun before he put his hands in the milky water and started to heat it up.

Wei Wuxian undressed while he waited for Lan Zhan to finish heating up the water. Once it was ready, he got inside and sighed. This was nice. He wrapped his arms around Lan Zhan the moment he joined him.

“Maybe tomorrow we can invite Wei Ying in for some fun,” Lan Zhan said softly, resting his cheek on Wei Wuxian’s shoulder.

"He'll look cute all naked and wet..." Wei Wuxian said thoughtfully.

Lan Zhan hummed. “If we were to put on a show for you, what would you want?” he asked.

"Wear something pretty... Maybe show him off to me, I know you have that little dominant streak in you when it comes to Wei Ying. It's very sexy," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan couldn’t repress his smirk. “If they come back when we go back to Gusu I can put him in that red robe you like,” he said. “That one will be easy to make fit. He’s too small for my other ones.”

"Mmm, yeah. That sounds good," Wei Wuxian said. Just thinking about Wei Ying in that little red outfit was enough to make him feel a little excited.

Lan Zhan ran his hands up Wei Wuxian’s chest and then started to massage his shoulders and the back of his neck. He was worried about his mate, but he didn’t want to bring it up. He would just dote on him instead.

Wei Wuxian let out a long sigh. That felt good. He had let out a bunch of tension, his shoulders dropping with a weight he didn't know he was holding.

Lan Zhan watched happily as Wei Wuxian relaxed. He pulled away only to reach over for the stand that sat next to the tub and held different soaps and oils. He picked out a prettily scented oil and poured a bit on his hands, then resumed his massage.

“We should go to the river tomorrow,” he said.

"Yeah. We can pick some lotus pods like we used to. I'm sure Jiang Wanyin would like it if you made everybody some soup," Wei Wuxian said with a hum.

“That will be fun,” Lan Zhan said. ”I have been doing well with enhancing the taste of meat lately.”

"I always love eating your experiments. You get to impress Wei Ying and Lan Wangji too!" Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan hummed, then yawned. “Wash me?” he asked.

Wei Wuxian nodded. He took the soaps from Lan Zhan and started to wash him in return.

Lan Zhan sighed and relaxed into the gentle touches. There was nothing else he could ask for in that moment.


	3. Fun at Lotus Pier

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying try to figure out what happened in this world. They arrive in Lotus Pier and meet Jiang Wanyin and his wife Su Ming.

The next morning, Lan Zhan woke Wei Wuxian before dawn with heated and insistent touches. They went a couple rounds before he was satisfied. He wiped himself down with a rag to erase the evidence, then they made their way to the farm to see the baby goats. Lan Zhan helped the new farmhand milk the goats and the single cow they had. He found that he liked milking goats more than cows. There were only two teats to work with and he liked the happy noises they made when they ate. Also the baby goats bounding around and kicking their legs was enough to make him want to cry with happiness. He had a new favorite baby animal.

They brought back some milk and eggs and they made breakfast together. Lan Zhan found that he enjoyed cooking with his husband, even when Wei Wuxian tried to add too much spice to everything. He managed to keep the extra spices in just one dish this time.

Everyone else was waking up around the time that they finished cooking, and they had a peaceful breakfast. Afterwards, Lan Zhan went through his notes and waited in a sitting room before he thought it was enough time for Jiang Wanyin to be ready. He nervously approached the office and knocked, gripping his notebook close to him.

"Come in," Jiang Wanyin called from the other side of the door. He was filling out some paperwork, his hair tied up into a messy bun and his robes a little loose at the collar.

Lan Zhan entered and sat down across from him. He glanced up at Jiang Wanyin and then back down at his notebook. There was no reason to be nervous... still, he was.

“Thank you for allowing us to visit,” he said. “I have some news about my research that will interest you.”

Jiang Wanyin looked up at him and then leaned back in his chair.

"What is it?" he asked.

Lan Zhan opened his notebook and set it on the table. “I have isolated a... substance from rat testicles that I believe is the key to an animal’s developed sex. Increasing it will cause the rat to be more aggressive and sexually active... and increasing the amount in the womb of a pregnant rat will ensure that all of the offspring are male. I believe that the same could be said for us, to a more specific degree. I can identify it within the blood of living beings with enough practice, and Wei Wuxian has more of it than I do, and so does my brother. My mother, on the other hand, has very little of it. This is relevant to you because... my hypothesis is that ingesting this substance could potentially bring back your ruts and alpha scent.”

Jiang Wanyin was quiet for a moment as he took in this information.

"But you're not sure yet, if it'll work on humans," he said. "I would be your test bunny."

Lan Zhan took a deep breath. “I would like to have more than one human,” he said. “But I first want to test it on as many animals as I have access to. I have done rats already. I have rabbits I can try it on, and I am considering adopting a few cats as well. I especially want to work with sheep, since they experience ruts. This will take time. Perhaps a year or so. I would like to see if there are any long-term effects on the animals I test. I want to be as confident as I can be that it will not harm you.”

Jiang Wanyin nodded and was silent for another moment. Eventually, he took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair.

"Okay. Well... thank you. I won't get my hopes up but let me know if anything comes of this research," he said.

Lan Zhan nodded. “Would you like to be updated monthly about my findings, or would you like me to just tell you when I think it is ready?”

"...I would appreciate the updates if that's alright with you," Jiang Wanyin replied.

“Of course,” Lan Zhan said. He took his notebook and stood up, then bowed. “I will do my best.”

"Lan Zhan," Jiang Wanyin said as he began to walk away. He bit his lip for a moment and then folded his hands in his lap. "Thank you. Really. I mean it."

Lan Zhan glanced back at him and nodded, his eyes softening. He was happy to be able to do something for Jiang Wanyin.

After he left the office he went to the guest bedrooms and knocked on the others’ door.

Wei Ying happily swung the door open and grinned as soon as he saw Lan Zhan.

"Lan Zhan!" he cooed. He grabbed Lan Zhan's hand and pulled him inside the room. "Come in, come in."

Lan Zhan looked down at Lan Wangji, who was seated among a pile of papers and books. He felt a rush of... something. He wasn’t sure what.

“We would like you to come with us to the river,” he said.

Wei Ying's eyes brightened. "Oh, that sounds like fun! You and Wei Wuxian? Ah, come on Lan Wangji, lets go to the river!"

Lan Wangji looked between the two, then he started to pick up the papers on the ground. “I will be ready in a few minutes,” he said.

Lan Zhan stared at him for a moment, then nodded. He went to his own bedroom and gathered a change of clothes and his bamboo hat. “They are going to come with us,” he told Wei Wuxian. “I will ask Su Ming too.”

Wei Wuxian was already ready with his pants rolled up past his knees. He nodded. "Sounds good."

Lan Zhan made his way to Su Ming's room and knocked on her door. "Do you want to go to the river with us?" he asked.

"Yeah!" Su Ming sang before she opened the door. "Give me a minute to get the right clothes."

Lan Zhan waited and a couple minutes later she came out wearing short pants and a shirt that had the sleeves cut off.

"Don't look at me like that," she said. "I've lived here a year now, I know what kinds of things to wear in the water. If people have a problem seeing my legs and arms they can look away!"

Lan Zhan didn't comment. They met the other three at the front of the house and set off towards the river.

Lan Wangji was feeling melancholy and stayed silent. He had seen the river recently and under very bad circumstances. The first time he saw it, it was in the middle of winter. He wasn't sure how to feel about going there again. He found Wei Ying's hand and held it in his.

"I always wanted to take you lotus pod picking in the summer," Wei Ying said as he held Lan Wangji's hand tightly and swung their hands together. He looked over at him. "Are you okay?"

Lan Wangji looked down at him. "I am glad to be with you," he said.

It was a hot day, so Lan Zhan had already dressed down to his pants and white sleeveless undershirt by the time they got to the river. He was happy to not look like a copy of Lan Wangji then, since he was wearing black pants while Lan Wangji wore blue and they put away their forehead ribbons. But when he turned around and saw Lan Wangji dressed down to a white sleeveless undershirt and donning a wide bamboo hat that matched his own exactly, he felt disgruntled.

He wasn't sure why he felt so weird about it; he had felt interested the day before when they wore the exact same clothing... maybe it was his arms...

He turned back around and walked into the river wearing his water shoes. He wanted to see what kinds of creatures he could find this time.

Wei Ying let go of Lan Wangji's hand to jump into the river with a big splash, soaking everyone around him. Wei Wuxian laughed and shielded himself from the water before hopping in himself and the two of them quickly descended into a water fight.

Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji shied away from them, not wanting to be involved. They both waded over towards the lily pads and Lan Wangji started to carefully pick lotus pods while Lan Zhan searched for frogs. He found one and slowly creeped closer, hoping not to alert it.

"Hey, watch this," Wei Wuxian whispered to Wei Ying a moment later, once they were both soaking wet.

Wei Ying nodded quickly and turned in the same direction as Wei Wuxian was facing. "I'm watching."

"Lan Zhan!" Wei Wuxian cooed loudly and then conjured a few of his tentacles to emerge out of the water and wrap around Lan Zhan's waist, launching him into the air.

Lan Zhan had been so close to catching the frog when he was picked up. His hat fell off and he tried in vain to reach for it. "Wei Wuxian!" he yelled angrily between growling and trying to get out of the tentacles grasp. He had wanted to go show Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying the frog once he'd caught it, but not anymore.

Lan Wangji was at a loss. He felt the urge to help him, but when he looked over at the other two, he knew there was no chance. What if Wei Wuxian turned those things on him? _No, no, no..._

"What are those things?" Wei Ying asked, eyes darting between Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian hummed. "My little friends. Lan Zhan, do you remember the first time I did this to you in the river?"

"You wouldn't fucking dare!" Lan Zhan yelled. "Su Ming!"

His friend, who was stretched out on a large flat rock, beamed at him. "What?"

Lan Zhan wasn't about to ask for help, not when she was looking at him like she enjoyed seeing him being tormented. "Lan Wangji--"

"Don't bring me into this," Lan Wangji boldly declared.

Lan Zhan growled and bit the nearest tentacle.

"Can you bring me up too?" Wei Ying asked.

"Of course," Wei Wuxian replied. He gave a surprised laugh before summoning a few more tentacles to wrap around Wei Ying's waist, lifting him in the air next to Lan Zhan while he squealed.

Lan Zhan struggled for a little while. He tried all the tricks he knew but Wei Wuxian knew him too well. Biting, pulling, squeezing did nothing. Eventually he just went limp, thinking that he would get bored.

"Oh! Lan Wangji, I have to learn how to do this - this is fun!" Wei Ying called from where he wiggled in the tentacle's grasp. He laughed a bit and then reached out to take Lan Zhan's hands. "Why do you look like that, aren't you having fun?"

"No," Lan Zhan lied. He stared longingly at the lily pads and his bamboo hat.

"Lan Wangji!" Su Ming called, totally ignoring her friend's suffering. She jumped off her rock and into the water and waded over to him. "When you pick lotus pods, you should do it like this--"

Lan Wangji was struck by how short this woman was. She was an entire foot shorter than him. The top of her head didn't even reach his shoulder. He watched as she showed him the proper way to pick lotus pods and roots, then tried it himself.

Wei Wuxian let one of the tentacles slide under Wei Ying's damp shirt and he let out another squeal, letting go of Lan Zhan's hands to look positively scandalised.

"Wei Wuxian! It's cold!" he whined, but Wei Wuxian only laughed.

Lan Zhan couldn't see what was going on. It interested him though, and suddenly he got tired of being suspended in the air. He wanted to watch someone else get tormented for once. "Sheeptail," he said. "Let go."

Wei Wuxian huffed a little but nodded. He let Lan Zhan back down into the water and his tentacles that had been holding him dissipated. At least now he had more focus in letting his remaining ones wiggle against every bit of skin on Wei Ying's body that he could reach.

"Ah! Wait, wait! What are you doing?" Wei Ying exclaimed, his face turning crimson as he pushed lightly against the tentacles. "Oh, it tickles haha- Oh Gods!"

Lan Zhan grabbed his hat and looked up as Wei Ying struggled against the tickle attack. He was so cute! "Are you having fun?" he asked curiously.

Wei Ying puffed his cheeks. "Don't use my own words against me!"

"You do look like you're having fun," Wei Wuxian said with a mischievous glint in his eye. He let the tentacles push Wei Ying's undershirt up until he could caress his nipples with them.

"H-Hey! Hey! T-This is obscene, this is a public place!" Wei Ying cried, squeaking and squirming in place. "Lan Wangji! Save me!"

Lan Wangji went pale. What was he supposed to do? Those tentacles were made of energy, they weren't real. It wasn't like he could just chop them off with Bichen... He cautiously approached, tossing his lotus pods onto the river bank.

"I could but they'll just come back," he said.

"Maybe if you beg real nicely-" Wei Wuxian began.

"Please, alpha! Please let me go!" Wei Ying immediately cut in and Wei Wuxian supposed that was enough. He let his tentacles dissipate and dropped Wei Ying directly into Lan Wangji's arms.

Lan Wangji caught him easily. Lan Zhan licked his lips and gave Wei Wuxian a look. "That didn't take long," he commented.

"Someone knows how to ask nicely," Wei Wuxian teased, giving Lan Zhan a side-eye.

Meanwhile, Wei Ying giggled happily in Lan Wangji's arms and wrapped his own around his shoulders, leaning in to kiss him.

Lan Wangji just barely caught the mean expression Lan Zhan sent at his mate before he kissed Wei Ying. He set him down in the water. "You two are alike," he said.

Wei Ying took a moment to adjust himself, pulling his shirt back down and looking up at Lan Wangji. "That's a good thing, I hope."

"Is it?" Lan Zhan asked as he went back over to the lily pads.

"Hey, Lan Zhan," Su Ming yelled from her spot back on the rock. "Will you make a rainbow?"

Lan Zhan nodded and floated over to a group of lily pads and touched them. Red bloomed out from his fingertips and stained the plants. He did orange next, continuing down the colors of the rainbow.

This fascinated Lan Wangji. He wandered over and watched as the lily pads changed colors. "This is what you did to those plants in your room," he said.

"Mm." Lan Zhan nodded.

"Oh wow! That's so cool!" Wei Ying chimed in as he followed them over to the lily pads.

Wei Wuxian smiled with a hint of pride. "He is talented, isn't he?"

“Can you change the color of animals?” Lan Wangji asked.

“Not yet,” Lan Zhan said. “I am focusing on other parts of animal life magic now.” He finished making the rainbow and then swam a little deeper into the river.

Lan Wangji was looking fondly at Wei Ying, thinking about how much fun he had swinging around in the air. “Do you want me to throw you?” He asked.

Wei Ying's eyes immediately brightened. "Yes! Oh, that'll be fun, yes please!"

Lan Wangji smiled and plucked Wei Ying out of the water, then tossed him high in the air further into the river, upstream to where Lan Zhan was floating. It was a slow river, so staying in one spot wasn’t too difficult.

Wei Ying giggled as he was tossed. In times like these, it was easy to forget all the travesty that was going on around them.

They returned that afternoon with fresh lotus roots and pods and Lan Zhan and Su Ming pulled Wei Ying into the kitchen to help cook dinner. They made a big pot full of lotus root and pork rib soup, and picked out the seeds from the pods to make a paste to put in some pastries later. Lan Zhan worked his magic like he always did, making the taste burst in every spoonful. It was worth it seeing how amazed both Lan Wangji and Wei Ying looked when they tried it at dinner.

Su Ming asked if Lan Zhan wanted to help make the pastries, but he said he had other plans for the evening. She wisely didn’t ask what they were.

A little while later, Lan Zhan sauntered up to Wei Wuxian and hugged him from behind. “The bath is ready,” he said. “Do you want to get Wei Ying or should I?”

"You go ask him. I think he's more receptive to you," Wei Wuxian said with a hum.

Lan Zhan hummed and kissed his shoulder, then he left to go get the other omega. He knocked on the door and waited.

Wei Ying swung the door open, dressed only in an inner robe that reached his mid-thigh.

"Lan Zhan," he cooed. "What brings you here at this time?"

Lan Zhan did nothing to hide his appreciation of the immodesty. "Come take a bath with us," he said softly, then drew his eyes back up to his face.

"Us? You and Wei Wuxian?" Wei Ying asked with a tilt of his head. The idea of a hot bath did sound nice...

Lan Zhan nodded slowly and bit his lip. He was already thinking about what he was going to do...

Wei Ying's smile only brightened. "Okay! Sounds like fun. I think Lan Wangji is off in the kitchen with Su Ming anyway."

Lan Zhan hummed. Su Ming managed to rope him into making those pastries then? He must have warmed up to her since this morning. He took Wei Ying's hand and led him to the bathroom next to their room.

Wei Wuxian was already there waiting in the bathroom, also dressed simply in an inner robe while he waited. He sat on a stool next to the tub and looked up as Lan Zhan and Wei Ying walked in.

Lan Zhan locked the door and took down his hair before braiding it and putting it up into a bun like he had the night before, eyeing Wei Ying.

Wei Wuxian made short work of his robe and got into the bath. Wei Ying wasn't sure why he felt a little nervous all of a sudden, after all, he'd already been exposed to these two people before. He was the last to undress and step into the hot water.

Lan Zhan was glad he hadn't filled the tub up as much as he usually would, since having three people in it made the water rise up. He floated over to Wei Ying to sit next to him and admire him up close. "So delicate," he said.

"I'm not delicate," Wei Ying replied with a puff of his cheeks.

It made Wei Wuxian laugh. He sat on the other side of Wei Ying and put his hands on his waist carefully. "I could snap you in half like a twig, you're so small. Look, my hands can almost touch around your waist. I bet Lan Wangji can."

Lan Zhan's golden eyes were drinking all of this up. He dragged his bottom lip through his teeth and leaned in. "I bet you bruise more easily," he murmured, eyeing his neck. He traced the little hickeys he could find there. "I am surprised that this is the only evidence left..."

"Lan Wangji is never too rough or bites too hard..." Wei Ying said, squirming slightly under Lan Zhan's heated gaze.

"But you wish he were rougher with you, huh? You are me, I can imagine what you like," Wei Wuxian replied.

Wei Ying looked down into the tub. "I never said that..."

Lan Zhan furrowed his brow in confusion, giving Wei Wuxian an odd look. Lan Wangji wasn't rough? How could he not be, with as strong as he clearly was? He decided to put that thought away for another time. It made him feel weird.

"Lan Wangji isn't here," he said. "But we are. Do you want us to be rough?"

Wei Ying bit his lip. These were desires he'd not thought too hard about. The last thing he had ever wanted was to frighten Lan Wangji and besides, he liked the sex they had.

"I wouldn't mind it if you were..." he said eventually.

Lan Zhan hummed. "I'll keep that in mind," he said.

He licked his lips and then started to trace his fingers along Wei Ying's skin again, going up his neck to his jaw. He couldn't help but rub his thumb over Wei Ying's bottom lip. After some thought, he pulled away to rummage through the tray next to the tub and got the sugar scrub he'd made earlier. It smelled and tasted sweet and was a pretty orange color due to the fruits and oils he had put in it. He collected some on his thumb and then returned to get in Wei Ying's space. He stared at his lips for a moment before he started to spread the scrub over them with his thumb.

Wei Ying blinked rapidly as Lan Zhan applied the sugar scrub, his cheeks turning rosy.

"What is that?" he asked when he was done.

“Something I made,” Lan Zhan murmured. “Makes your skin soft... it’s edible.”

He leaned forward and licked some of it off, pulling it back into his mouth and humming at the sweet taste. He started to rub the mixture against Wei Ying’s lips again.

"Aren't my lips soft enough?" Wei Ying asked teasingly. He was slowly feeling more and more comfortable in the tub with them.

“They are,” Lan Zhan replied. “Nothing wrong with making them sweeter.” He leaned in and licked some more off Wei Ying’s bottom lip, then he took it between his teeth and tugged a little.

"It's really hot watching you two kiss," Wei Wuxian said after a moment. He squeezed Wei Ying's sides and rested his face against the crook of his neck to inhale his scent.

Lan Zhan smiled a little, then poked Wei Wuxian's jaw. "Then watch," he said before he took Wei Ying's bottom lip again and sucked on it.

And Wei Wuxian did. He gave Lan Zhan and Wei Ying his rapt attention as they kissed. Wei Ying easily melted into the embrace and kissed back with passion.

Lan Zhan scooted over to sit in front of Wei Ying and caressed his face, then his hands traveled down to rub his nipples. Every now and then he looked over at Wei Wuxian, making sure that he was still watching.

He was. Wei Wuxian watched intensely as Wei Ying whined and squirmed under Lan Zhan's ministrations.

Lan Zhan found that he liked licking that scrub off of Wei Ying, and he could find no reason not to. He gathered some more on his fingers and rubbed it into Wei Ying’s lips and around his mouth, then along his jaw. He kissed, licked and sucked on the soft skin, relishing in the sweetness.

Wei Ying could already sense his own budding arousal the more he was kissed and coddled. He wondered if Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan could smell his changing scent - he knew Lan Wangji was particularly sensitive to it.

And so was Lan Zhan. It sent a shiver down his spine and he had to pause and slow himself down before he got too into it.

“I think you should try it,” he said, dipping his thumb into the scrub to get some and holding it in front of Wei Ying. “Open up.”

There was no hesitation for Wei Ying. He saw what was offered to him and took Lan Zhan's thumb between his lips. Leisurely, he sucked and licked every last bit of the scrub from his thumb and then released it with a wet pop.

Lan Zhan was fascinated. He had never put his fingers in Wei Wuxian’s mouth before, at least not that he could remember. He might have done it at some point. He traced Wei Ying’s lips and then pushed his middle and index fingers into his mouth. “Keep it open,” he whispered.

Wei Ying was nothing if not obedient. He opened his mouth wide as Lan Zhan's fingers settled on his tongue. A little saliva wet his chin but he paid no mind to that.

Lan Zhan bit his lip. He pressed down on Wei Ying’s tongue and rubbed back and forth, staring between his eyes and his open mouth. His aroused scent started to fill the space around them, mixing in with the others while he pushed his fingers even further back into Wei Ying’s throat.

“Now suck,” he murmured.

Wei Ying's gag reflex was practically non-existent after getting used to taking Lan Wangji's cock into his mouth. He closed his lips around the fingers and sucked with a delighted groan.

"You can imagine what that mouth would feel like around your cock now Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian drawled, his hands rubbing up and down on Wei Ying's sides.

Lan Zhan chewed on his bottom lip. He watched with wide eyes, his pupils blown up in his arousal. The feeling around his fingers was delicious, and he did what Wei Wuxian said and imagined that mouth lower down his body.

“You like sucking on things, don’t you?” he breathed.

Wei Ying gave an approving hum and then opened his mouth wide again to let the saliva dribble down Lan Zhan's fingers, meeting his gaze as he did.

"A perfect little slut," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan rubbed his fingers on Wei Ying’s tongue for another moment before he took them out and kissed him, sucking hard on his bottom lip. When he pulled away he said, “I also like to suck on things. But only very squishy things, like Wei Wuxian’s tentacles.”

"I like sucking cock. Feels nice and hot on my tongue..." Wei Ying said. Wei Wuxian groaned behind him, rutting his rising arousal against the small of his back.

"How far down can you go?" Lan Zhan asked. He started to rub Wei Ying's nipples again.

"Pretty far. I can take the better half of Lan Wangji's cock," Wei Ying replied.

“That’s impressive. You know—“ Lan Zhan sucked in a breath. “I don’t like giving head because it’s degrading. I don’t know if I should be surprised that you do. Wei Wuxian likes being degraded, but I always thought it was because he’s an alpha. Don’t you get tired of being degraded by alphas?”

"It's not the same. I know Lan Wangji doesn't degrade me, he doesn't make me do anything I don't want to. A lot of alphas will always be assholes so I try to block them out. I know that Lan Wangji and my Jiang Cheng will always protect me from other alphas if it came to that... they saved from the Wens and Wen Chao specifically after all. But I'm going to be an amazing conjuration mage some day. Alphas will live to regret it if they think they can degrade me," Wei Ying said with a surprising amount of seriousness. "Whether or not I like to suck dick shouldn't change anything."

Lan Zhan furrowed his brow a little. It still didn’t make sense to him, but he would accept it. Perhaps his upbringing was different than Lan Zhan’s. Regardless, it wasn’t a bad thing.

“Strangely I like seeing you degraded. Are you as submissive as Wei Wuxian too?”

Wei Ying licked his lips nervously. "Lan Wangji likes to be on the bottom sometimes but I... have never been able to cum without being fucked or in a position of submission."

Lan Wangji?

Lan Zhan frowned and was about to express his confusion, but he quickly decided not to. He started running his hands over Wei Ying’s body instead. His hand touched Wei Wuxian’s, and he reached over to fondle his cock.

“Wei Wuxian can be very dominant when he wants to be,” he said to Wei Ying.

"Lan Zhan is quite dominant for an omega as well," Wei Wuxian said with a soft groan. He rutted his hips up into the fist around his cock.

Wei Ying's eyes flickered from Lan Zhan's hand and his face. "Makes sense that Lan Wangji is submissive for an alpha then."

Lan Zhan’s hands paused and he blinked. This conversation was starting to turn him off. He kind of wanted to get out and go ask Lan Wangji what the fuck Wei Ying was talking about. Maybe he would do that later, when he could guarantee they would be alone. At the moment he needed to stop thinking. He pulled away so he could go poke through the oils and soaps next to the tub.

Wei Wuxian let out a soft whine. "Lan Zhan, why'd you stop?"

"Such a baby," Wei Ying teased back and decided to take Lan Zhan's place and wrapped his fingers around Wei Wuxian's cock.

Lan Zhan pulled out a fragrant soap and started playing with it. He watched the other two closely, hoping that they would provide sufficient distraction.

"I can't wait to fuck you," Wei Wuxian said huskily in Wei Ying's ear, making the omega let out a soft whimper and squeeze his cock harder.

“Don’t do it too hard,” Lan Zhan said. “You’ll break the tub.”

"Yeah, yeah, I will. The last thing I need is Jiang Wanyin being even more mad at me," Wei Wuxian replied. He peppered kisses on the back of Wei Ying's neck and slid his fingers down between his legs, easily slipping one inside him.

Lan Zhan watched intensely as Wei Wuxian fingered his omega self. It was interesting to watch it from the outside, feeling the memory of those same fingers inside himself...

An idea popped into his head and he sat up a little straighter. This interested him more than thinking about Lan Wangji. “Do you want to go to the bed?” he asked suddenly. “We can come back here later. I have an idea.”

Wei Wuxian glanced down at Wei Ying, his fingers still hooked inside him. "Does that sound good to you?"

Wei Ying nodded slowly.

Lan Zhan got out of the tub and dried himself off haphazardly before he put on the short white silk robe he’d brought. He took his hair down and went back into the bedroom. His mind was running in three different directions about what they could do.

Wei Wuxian took his fingers out and picked up Wei Ying. He wrapped them both in a towel before following Lan Zhan back to the bedroom.

Lan Zhan sat down in the middle of the bed, adjusting his robes so he wouldn’t be exposed. As his mate carried Wei Ying in after him, Lan Zhan said, “Wei Wuxian likes asses for some reason.”

"Lan Zhan," Wei Wuxian huffed, sounding a little scandalised at Lan Zhan's admission - even if it were true. He sat down on the bed next to him with Wei Ying curled up happily in his lap.

“Do you not?” Lan Zhan challenged. “Remember when I said we could both fuck him?”

"Yes, I remember... what did you have in mind?" Wei Wuxian asked, cocking an eyebrow.

Wei Ying squirmed a little in Wei Wuxian's lap. "Tell me what's going on exactly?"

Lan Zhan looked between the two. “We can both fuck you,” he said to Wei Ying. “But you will need to be stretched first.”

Wei Ying couldn't stop his cheeks from flushing with red. Both of them... at the same time? That was a lot, wasn't it? Could he handle it?

"I...Oh. Okay. Yes. I-I..." he stammered.

Wei Wuxian seemed to catch on to where Lan Zhan was going with this. He grinned and picked Wei Ying up to set him on the bed between him and Lan Zhan.

"First, we have to make sure you're okay with this. How do you feel about me fucking your ass?" he asked.

"You- Would it even-?" Wei Ying had questions.

"Of course. You said you'd fucked Lan Wangji, didn't you?"

"I suppose that's true..."

"So, what do you think?"

Wei Ying took a deep breath. "Okay."

Lan Zhan’s eyebrow twitched and he once again told himself not to think about it. He should probably say something, since if they mentioned his other half again he might not be able to get it up. That would be awkward.

“Can you stop mentioning Lan Wangji?” he asked. He realized that the request made him sound jealous, and he supposed he didn’t care. Jealousy was a reasonable reaction, as opposed to what he _really_ felt — _stop it,_ he told himself. _Now is not the time to brood._

Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying both paused and looked at each other.

"Okay," Wei Wuxian said. He leaned over to give Lan Zhan a quick kiss. "What do you want to do while I get the lube and start preparing him?"

Lan Zhan brought his mind back to where he wanted it to be. “You can give me some friends to play with,” he said.

Wei Wuxian focused his energy to conjure a few tentacles and let them wrap around Lan Zhan. He got up from the bed and retrieved his bag to pull out the jar of lubricant potion inside.

Lan Zhan gladly welcomed the tentacles. He played with them with his hands first, then he popped one in his mouth. He kept his eyes fixated on Wei Ying. He wondered if he would enjoy anal — Lan Zhan didn’t, but Wei Wuxian did so maybe Wei Ying would too.

"How do you want me to do this? Do you want to lay on your front or your back?" Wei Wuxian asked Wei Ying.

"Um. My front," Wei Ying replied, shifting to lay down on the towel and tilted his hips up in Wei Wuxian's direction.

"So pretty," Wei Wuxian praised as he spread Wei Ying's legs further apart. He ran his hand over the back of his thigh, over his ass, and up the small of his back. Like this, he could see the small puckered hole tucked between his cheeks and his sweet little pussy.

Wei Ying let out a soft noise. "You like staring at me."

"Of course I do. I know how hot I am. You're even cuter. I knew I'd make a good omega," Wei Wuxian replied. He lubed up his fingers and ran them carefully over his hole. "I'm going to put one inside, okay?"

"Okay," Wei Ying breathed. "Be gentle with me."

That made Wei Wuxian chuckle a little but he did slowly ease the finger inside. Wei Ying's breath hitched and he twitched around the digit, burying his face in his arms. It was a strange sensation, different to when things were in his other hole.

"You've never put anything in here, have you?" Wei Wuxian said with a note of eagerness.

Wei Ying shook his head. "No..."

Wei Wuxian hummed in delight and slowly manoeuvred the finger in and out of him until he started to adjust. He leaned down to whisper filthy things in his ear as he did, quiet enough that Lan Zhan couldn't hear them, but Wei Ying kept trembling and whining in response. One finger became two and finally, he began to get used to the sensations.

Wei Ying definitely seemed to like it more than Lan Zhan did. Sucking on the end of the tentacle, Lan Zhan focused on where Wei Wuxian’s fingers disappeared inside Wei Ying. He couldn’t help but squirm a little as he remembered how it felt.

“How does it feel?” he asked.

"Weird... full..." Wei Ying mumbled. He glanced at Wei Wuxian over his shoulder. "Are you sure you're going to fit in there?"

"I fit in Lan Zhan, I'll fit in you. I know you're smaller than he is but... it'll fit, don't worry," Wei Wuxian replied. He kissed Wei Ying's back and then slowly pulled his fingers out. "I'm going to put it in, okay?"

Wei Ying nodded and braced himself as Wei Wuxian oiled his cock and lined it up. He took a deep breath and pushed inside Wei Ying's lightly stretched hole. Wei Ying let out a startling gasp, his whole body shivering as Wei Wuxian sunk deeper and deeper inside him.

Lan Zhan smiled a little as he watched. He got on his knees and crawled closer to them. “One time he knotted me back there and I had to heal myself afterwards,” he said. He quickly added, “It was my fault. I told him he could.”

"I won't knot you unless you want me to," Wei Wuxian told Wei Ying. He thrusted his cock in a few times, letting Wei Ying get used to it before he maintained a steady rhythm.

Then, he pulled Wei Ying up, seating him down onto his length and spreading his legs. Wei Wuxian looked over at Lan Zhan.

"Are you joining us?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Zhan crawled over and considered how he would arrange himself. He was only half-hard, but a few strokes and looking at Wei Ying’s pussy was enough to get him at full mast.

He got closer and took a moment to situate himself before he pushed into Wei Ying’s pussy. It was already so wet and it squeezed him so nicely…

Wei Ying moaned and leaned his head back against Wei Wuxian's shoulder. His hands uselessly reached out to grab at Lan Zhan's arms as he twitched between them. He had thought that being fucked by Wei Wuxian in his other hole had been a strange full sensation but being filled in both was something else entirely.

"Oh Gods," he whimpered.

"You okay?" Wei Wuxian asked and Wei Ying gave him a shaky nod.

Lan Zhan leaned in to kiss along Wei Ying’s jaw and neck, leaving little nips along the way. “How are we doing this?” he asked Wei Wuxian. “Are you going to move him or will we be moving?”

"Do you think you two think you can manage yourselves?" Wei Wuxian asked playfully.

Lan Zhan shifted around a little. “I don’t think I can move a lot here,” he admitted. “Should we lay him sideways and hold his leg up? Or... he can lay on top of me and then you can mount from behind?”

"Let's lay him down. You can move his hips in time with me," Wei Wuxian said. He adjusted so that as Lan Zhan shifted back onto the bed, he laid Wei Ying on top of him.

"Oh fuck," Wei Ying gasped.

Wei Wuxian kissed the back of his neck. "Everything okay?"

"Y-Yeah just... didn't think you two could get deeper," he replied.

Lan Zhan wiggled around to get comfortable on his back. He took one of the tentacles that was still wrapped around him and put it between his legs, urging it to find its home.

Wei Wuxian let it slither inside him and then focused on starting to slowly thrust inside Wei Ying who cried out and ducked his head in the crook of Lan Zhan's neck.

Lan Zhan loved that feeling, with Wei Ying on top of him and tucked into his neck like that. He tilted his head back and ran his hands up and down Wei Ying’s tiny waist. “Are you going to ride me?” he asked.

"Help move me," Wei Ying mumbled against his skin. He let out another cry as Wei Wuxian gave a hard thrust into him, angling into his sweet spot.

Lan Zhan put his hands behind Wei Ying’s thighs and pulled him up. He let go just so he could grab another tentacle and put it next to Wei Ying’s cock so it would wrap around it.

“We need to alternate,” Lan Zhan said to Wei Wuxian. “Hold his hips. I’ll pull him up and you pull him back.”

Wei Wuxian took the hint and had his tentacle wrap around Wei Ying's cock and squeeze it. He put his hands on Wei Ying's hips and moved him back after each time Lan Zhan pulled him up until they formed a rhythm.

"How does it feel, little omega? You like being stuffed with cock?" Wei Wuxian said.

Wei Ying moaned brokenly as he was moved this way and that. He clung desperately to Lan Zhan, sobbing into his skin. "Yes... yes, it f-feels good...ah! I'm gonna cum, I'm gonna cum I'm stuffed too full...!"

“How many times can we make you cum?” Lan Zhan asked.

He moved his left hand to grab Wei Ying’s ass so he could keep moving him, then he used his right to wrap around both the tentacles and Wei Ying’s cock. Watching his face closely, he started pumping it fast.

Wei Ying went completely limp, his eyelashes fluttering and his body wracked with trembles. He came with a long moan, spilling hot into Lan Zhan's hand.

"Fuck... He tightened right up as he came... Did you feel that, Lan Zhan?" Wei Wuxian rasped, inspired to start pounding even harder into that tight, abused hole.

Lan Zhan did feel it, and it was _amazing_. That plus the tentacle fucking him was enough to also send him overboard. He bit Wei Ying’s shoulder and came silently into him.

He hadn’t even been going for very long, but cumming early wasn’t a big deal for him since he could just keep going. He just needed a few seconds to get his strength back. When he did, he started once again pulling Wei Ying up and letting Wei Wuxian pull him back.

Wei Ying came two, three more times before he finally begged for mercy. He cried and sobbed openly on Lan Zhan's shoulder, overwhelmed and shaking. His body was already starting to feel achy and sore. Luckily, Wei Wuxian was close to the edge now too.

"Wei Ying...ah... knot?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"N-No... I can't, I can't..." Wei Ying sobbed.

That was enough. Wei Wuxian gave a few more hard thrusts before he pulled out almost all the way and squeezed the base of his cock. He came just inside Wei Ying's asshole, letting some of it spill up his crack and the rest dribble out of his stretched hole.

Lan Zhan had just cum again a minute earlier so he didn’t need to chase another one. He mouthed all along Wei Ying’s jaw, neck and shoulder, reaching down to pull the tentacle out of him.

“Are you tired?” he playfully asked Wei Ying.

Wei Ying didn't reply, just made a soft groaning noise. Wei Wuxian chuckled and shuffled to lay down next to Lan Zhan, helping Wei Ying lay down on top of both of them in the process. His tentacles dissipated soon after.

Lan Zhan ran his hands along Wei Ying’s back, noticing how sweaty he was. “It’s bath time,” he said.

"Carry me," Wei Ying whined in a hoarse voice.

Lan Zhan looked around the room before he sucked in a breath and sat up. He adjusted his robe and then stood up and picked Wei Ying up. He wasn’t too heavy, but it was more than he was used to carrying. He waddled back to the bathroom and gently placed Wei Ying in the water. It had cooled by now, so he started to warm it up again.

Wei Wuxian followed them in, smiling when Wei Ying sighed as he was lowered into the bath water. He joined him moments after.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Achy," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Zhan waited until the water was warm before he put his hair up, took off his robe, and joined the other two. He took the soap and started to rub it over his body, feeling satisfied.

“We can do this as much as you like,” he said.

"Believe me, as much as I would like to keep getting fucked within an inch of life, we have bigger things on our plate," Wei Ying sighed.

Wei Wuxian hummed in thought and took the soap from Lan Zhan when he was done. He started to scrub Wei Ying for him, knowing that he would be in no mood to do it himself.

“We can plan during the day,” Lan Zhan said.

Once he said that, his thoughts inevitably turned back to Lan Wangji and that uneasy feeling settled in his gut again. He got out of the tub and dried himself off and got dressed, deep in thought.

Wei Wuxian washed himself and then carried Wei Ying out of the tub. He helped him dress back up and then took him back to his room. With Wei Ying still dozing in his arms, he knocked on the door.

Lan Wangji wasn’t in his room, but he appeared in the hallway a minute later. He was unaware of the fact that he still had the apron on and flour in his hair. He stopped short when he saw Wei Wuxian holding Wei Ying by the bedroom. His chest tightened and he steadied himself before he approached. He didn’t know if he should take Wei Ying from him or open the door to let him in...

Wei Wuxian turned around at the sound of the footsteps and then grinned ear to ear.

"Just the man I wanted to see!" he chimed, taking a step closer so he could firmly plant Wei Ying into his arms. "Here's your sleeping beauty. Don't worry, he's fine, just a little tuckered out."

Wei Ying grumbled when he was moved and shuffled to grab onto the body that had taken him. It was then that he caught the familiar scent and his eyes fluttered open. He looked up at Lan Wangji and smiled sleepily.

"Lan Wangjiiii...! I love youuuuu," he slurred and wrapped his arms around him properly, burying his cheek against him.

Lan Wangji blushed. “Thank you,” he said quietly.

He realized he was still wearing the apron and considered taking it back, but Wei Ying didn’t seem to want to get down yet. He opened the door and carried him inside.

Wei Ying clung to him like a lifeline. He cuddled and purred like a happy kitten.

Lan Wangji gently set him down on the bed, then kissed his forehead. He took off his apron and started to get ready for bed.

"Lan Wangji," Wei Ying sighed as he laid down on the bed. "Did you have fun with Su Ming?"

“She is talkative,” Lan Wangji said. “The pastries will be ready to eat in the morning.”

Once he was ready for bed, he joined Wei Ying and pulled him close, crooning.

Wei Ying snuggled up to him. "Sounds yummy... I went to have a bath with Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan."

Lan Wangji hummed. “That’s why you smell good,” he rumbled, nuzzling against Wei Ying’s hair. “Were they nice to you?”

"Depends what you call nice," Wei Ying replied with a little giggle as Lan Wangji nuzzled against him.

Lan Wangji’s crooning cut short when he realized Wei Ying made an innuendo. His ears reddened and he resumed crooning after a few seconds. “Did you have fun?” he asked.

"I had fun but I'm tired. They fucked me at the same time," Wei Ying told him.

Lan Wangji did his very best to not imagine what that would look like. It was difficult.

“I passed Lan Zhan in the hallway on the way back here,” he said, changing the subject. “He looked...”

"Hm? He looked what?" Wei Ying asked. He wrapped his arm around Lan Wangji and entwined their legs.

Lan Wangji thought back, narrowing his eyes. “I don’t know,” he said. “He looked like I had interrupted his thoughts and he wasn’t happy to see me. But maybe that is how we look normally... why people are afraid of me.”

"He asked me and Wei Wuxian to stop talking about you," Wei Ying said. He looked up at him. "Maybe you two need to talk or something."

Lan Wangji pressed his lips together. He didn’t know how to feel about that. “Maybe so,” he said.

"I'll be there if you want me to. Just in case he's rude to you," Wei Ying suggested.

Lan Wangji made a quiet noise. “I think I need to talk to him alone,” he said earnestly. “I am afraid he will bring out a side of myself I don’t want you to see.”

"I want to see all sides of you," Wei Ying said. He cupped Lan Wangji's cheek and rubbed his thumb against it.

Lan Wangji looked at him. “Are you sure about that?” he asked.

"Yes of course. I married you. I love you and nothing will change that," Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji smiled and kissed him. “I love you too,” he said. “I’m glad you had fun tonight.”

"I did, I did. My ass hurts though, I don't know how you cope when I fuck you," Wei Ying said with a small whine.

“I have practiced for a long time,” Lan Wangji said. “It gets easier.”

"Would you ever want to fuck my ass? Wei Wuxian is fascinated with them," Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji was startled enough by the question that he was graced from the second thing Wei Ying said. “Why would I — do you want me to?”

"It wasn't as bad as I thought it'd be so... I wouldn't mind if you ever wanted to. But I understand if you don't, my pussy is pretty amazing... I was just saying if you ever wanted to try it then I'm down," Wei Ying told him.

Lan Wangji absorbed that for a moment. “I don’t know if I ever would,” he admitted. “But thank you. I think.”

Wei Ying giggled and pressed a soft kiss to Lan Wangji's cheek. "I love you and I love having sex with you. Do you want me to jerk you off before we go to sleep? A good orgasm will help you sleep better."

“Hmm...” Lan Wangji considered it. Did he want to get all worked up? But how could anyone say no to an offer like that? He bit his lip and then said, “Okay.”

Wei Ying slid his hand down from Lan Wangji's cheek and under his sleeping pants. He tugged out his cock from the material and started to stroke it.

Lan Wangji sucked in a breath and bent his knees. He pulled Wei Ying into a kiss, already feeling his body start to light up. He couldn’t help it — he thought about the Wei Ying sandwich he had missed out on. Even though Lan Zhan’s odd behavior was curious to him, he easily put that aside to imagine him and Wei Ying tangled up together.

“Is it weird that I—“ he started, then cut himself off with a sharp breath.

"I'm sure it's not, my love, but I am curious where that question was going," Wei Ying replied. He purred again, increasing his tempo.

Lan Wangji bit his lip to stifle a moan before he continued. Wei Ying was his safe place, so he could tell him anything. “I like thinking about what you did,” he whispered.

"About me being fucked by two other men? Sandwiched, made to cum three, four times?" Wei Ying teased.

Lan Wangji nodded. It was weird, wasn’t it? “I like— Seeing you and Lan Zhan...” He canted his hips up into Wei Ying’s hand.

"I think that's pretty normal, wanting to see two omegas together... Wei Wuxian said it was hot watching us make out. You would've liked to see it too, hm? Maybe I can ask Lan Zhan if you can watch us sometime..." Wei Ying replied. He squeezed the head of his cock.

“I’d like that,” Lan Wangji breathed. “It’s— good.” He turned and buried his face in Wei Ying’s neck. Even quieter he whispered, “And... Wei Wuxian...”

"Could tell you what a good boy are... Behaving, watching us..." Wei Ying egged him on.

Oh gods, Wei Ying went for the _kill_. Lan Wangji made a noise in the back of his throat and he gripped Wei Ying's waist tightly. He had gotten a lot better about cumming early, especially when Wei Ying just used his hand. But Lan Wangji was weak when he started talking like that.

"Are you going to cum for me, my alpha? My precious, handsome man... I want you to cum for me," Wei Ying said. He could sense when Lan Wangji was getting close.

"T-tell me..." Lan Wangji took a shaky breath. "Tell me about him."

"Who? Wei Wuxian?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji bit his sore lip again and nodded. He could feel the precum dripping out of him.

"He fucks like an animal. His cock isn't as big as yours but still big. Handsome... likes to tease, has a filthy mouth just like me. Ah, you should've heard the dirty things he was telling me while he was fucking me," Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji whimpered. He tilted his hips up again, feeling desperate. "More," he breathed. "Please..."

Wei Ying squeezed his cock again and pumped him as fast as he could. "He told me what a pretty little slut I was, praised how I squeezed his cock when I came."

Lan Wangji could imagine how it sounded, he could imagine the look on his face. And Wei Ying, utterly overwhelmed under him... he squeezed Wei Ying's waist even tighter as he tensed up and shivered with pleasure. It was so good, he went completely limp when it was over. Well, finishing quickly wasn't a big deal when it was just something like this, he told himself.

Wei Ying gave a satisfied hum and pulled his hand away to lick the cum off his fingers.

Lan Wangji watched helplessly. He couldn't describe how it felt seeing Wei Ying eat his cum like that. It made his cock twitch. "Thank you," he said.

Wei Ying giggled again and then tucked Lan Wangji's cock back in his pants for him. He wrapped his arms around him and nuzzled up to him.

"It is my pleasure. Are you feeling sleepy now? I'm sleepy," he mumbled.

"Mmm." Lan Wangji hugged Wei Ying and rubbed the spot where he had grabbed him. It was sure to leave a handprint. With a small spell he put out the lights. "Goodnight, Wei Ying."

"Goodnight," Wei Ying whispered back and closed his eyes. He was asleep before he knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coming up next: Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji... going at it 
> 
> Not _that_ way, unfortunately. Don't worry, though, _that_ will happen eventually. :)


	4. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Zhan talks to Jiang Wanyin about his hormone research, the boys play in the river, Wei Wuxian/Wei Ying/Lan Zhan threesome, Wei Ying and Lan Wangji have fun afterwards
> 
> This chapter: Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji air their grievances with each other.

Meanwhile, Lan Zhan was still out in the garden. He was playing with the apple tree, making the baby apples turn big and ripe and then drawing designs on them. He had learned a sharp precision over the past few years.

When Wei Wuxian realised that Lan Zhan wasn't in their room, the gardens was the first place he looked. He wasn't surprised to see him by the apple tree and he approached slowly.

"Lan Zhan," he said softly. "Everything okay?"

Lan Zhan glanced at him, then looked back at the apples. "I know," he said. "I shouldn't be out here dressed like this." Granted, he had put on underwear and a normal long robe, but that could hardly be called 'properly dressed.'

"I meant more the sour look you've had on your face but yeah, I know it's Yunmeng but the nights still get cold," Wei Wuxian replied.

“I’m not sour,” Lan Zhan deflected. He picked the apple off of the tree and took a bite, then handed it to Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian's gaze softened and he took the apple to have a bite. Once he swallowed, he spoke again: "I've known you long enough to know when something is wrong."

“Nothing is wrong,” Lan Zhan said. There _was_ something wrong, but he didn’t even know how to start talking about it. Or even thinking about it. He wanted to not think at all. “Let’s take some green bliss,” he said as he started walking back toward the building.

"Lan Zhan please. You've been weird since the bath with Wei Ying. You know by now that I just want to help but I'm not psychic, you have to talk to me first," Wei Wuxian said as he chased after him.

Lan Zhan stopped walking and sighed. “I don’t know,” he said, turning to Wei Wuxian but not looking at him. “I don’t know what’s wrong.”

Wei Wuxian walked close enough to put his hands on Lan Zhan's waist. "Okay, I'm sorry. You just got so upset when we talked about Lan Wangji I thought it had something to do with him."

Lan Zhan frowned and looked in the opposite direction. “It’s just weird,” he said.

"It's okay that he's not what you thought he'd be," Wei Wuxian said. His hand rubbed up and down on Lan Zhan's side.

Lan Zhan was quiet. Was it okay? He didn’t know. It made him feel marginally better though. He took the apple back from Wei Wuxian and started to eat it as he headed back into the building. Maybe he just needed to sleep.

Wei Wuxian followed Lan Zhan back to their room. He stripped down when he got there and clambered into bed, making grabby hands at Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan finished the apple and put the core on the bedside table, then climbed into Wei Wuxian’s arms. This was a place he could relax in, even if he still didn’t feel okay.

Wei Wuxian kissed the top of Lan Zhan's head and cuddled him close.

"Goodnight Lan Zhan," he said.

Lan Zhan placed a small kiss on Wei Wuxian’s chest, then closed his eyes.

Unfortunately, sleep didn’t cure him. He was antsy when he woke up, and for once he didn’t feel like having morning sex. He got out of bed and got ready for the day as silently as he could, then he went to go get one of the pastries Su Ming had talked about making the day before.

To his dismay, he crossed paths with Lan Wangji on the way to the kitchen. They both stopped and stared at each other for a couple of seconds, then continued on their way. Lan Zhan almost made it to the kitchen before he turned on his heels and went back to see where Lan Wangji had gone, hoping to catch him before he went back into his room. But surprisingly, he saw Lan Wangji go into a different room. It was the guest room at the very end of the hallway. It was good enough.

Lan Zhan silently followed him. After opening the door he found Lan Wangji standing by a desk with some items. When he glanced over his shoulder, he didn’t look surprised to see him.

Lan Zhan’s heart was racing. He wasn’t sure what kind of emotion he was feeling. It wasn’t anger exactly. It was like some kind of aggressive curiosity.

He approached the desk and found that Lan Wangji was holding some books and a stuffed rabbit. The sight of it irked Lan Zhan.

“Why do you have a stuffed animal?” he asked.

Lan Wangji didn’t look at him, and instead laid out the books on the desk. “Should I not?” he asked.

The response was unsatisfactory. Lan Zhan looked back at the stuffed animal and said, “Let me see it.”

“You are seeing it,” was the reply.

Lan Zhan’s eyebrow twitched. He reached for the rabbit, but Lan Wangji was faster than him and pulled it out of reach. He gave Lan Zhan a subtle glare.

Lan Zhan met his gaze and then as soon as Lan Wangji brought the stuffed rabbit back, he tried to snatch it. They did this for a while, Lan Zhan trying to get the rabbit and Lan Wangji keeping it out of reach. Lan Zhan wasn’t sure why he needed the rabbit so much -- maybe it was a pride thing.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying ran into each other shortly after waking up and finding their beds absent of their mate. Just as they were about to greet each other, they both heard some noises from one of the guest rooms. Shooting each other a look, they walked over to investigate.

Lan Wangji eventually left the desk, seeming tired of the game being played. He stared Lan Zhan down, and each second of eye contact made Lan Zhan more and more mad. The fact that Lan Wangji seemed perfectly calm -- _bored_ , even -- added to the fire.

Lan Zhan reached for the rabbit again. Lan Wangji pulled it away from him, but this time he accompanied it with a deep growl.

The sound surprised Lan Zhan. It filled the otherwise silent room with a threatening aura, and Lan Zhan became hyperaware of how much bigger this alpha was than him. In fact, he was probably the largest man he’d ever met. The urge to submit poked at him and he let it come through. He broke eye contact and his challenging scent turned sweet and placating.

It caught Lan Wangji’s attention, apparently. He could see the rabbit lower in his peripheral vision and Lan Wangji leaned in a little. The alpha’s strong defensive scent freshened into something that betrayed interest.

It didn’t mean it was a sexual interest. A scent could change in such a way when someone was pleasantly surprised. Even a scent that communicated desire could be released when someone looked at a mouth-watering meal. It wasn’t until it changed to the heady scent of arousal that meant something intimate. But still, even knowing this, Lan Zhan felt a barely-contained sexual tension between them. He suddenly thought about how it would feel to be held down by someone so strong. He had a chance against Wei Wuxian. Not this man.

His mind was a second behind the rest of his body. Before he could think he dove for the rabbit. Then Lan Wangji’s hand was wrapped around his wrist and he genuinely thought it was going to break with the force behind the grip.

He hissed from the pain and looked at Lan Wangji. The alpha’s eyes were wide, nostrils flared, and his scent was turning aggressive. He set his jaw and Lan Zhan wondered if he had made a mistake.

Then everything deflated.

As quickly as it had started, Lan Wangji backed down. He turned around and went to pick up one of the books from the desk, then sat down on the side of the bed with the stuffed animal tucked in his lap.

It left Lan Zhan reeling. What had happened? He looked at his wrist, which had a dark handprint on it. That was definitely going to bruise if he didn’t heal it. For some reason, he didn’t want to.

He didn’t like this. He wasn’t sure what he wanted out of this encounter, but it wasn’t this. When Lan Wangji grabbed him, it scared him but it felt _right_ , like some sort of victory— this didn’t.

None of it made sense.

He wandered around the room for a few minutes and brooded. Then he found himself in front of Lan Wangji saying, “What’s wrong with you?”

Lan Wangji ignored him.

“Why do you act like this? Wei Ying asked you to get him down yesterday and you looked like a scolded puppy. What are your muscles for? Carrying him around? You know I fucked your omega last night. He was sobbing by the end.”

Lan Wangji dropped his book and stood up. Lan Zhan only had time to take a step back before the alpha’s hand was _around his throat_ and he was pinned to the wall.

“Why are you so _rude?”_ Lan Wangji growled.

Lan Zhan’s breath was hard and his heart was fast. There was that sexual tension again — he ignored it. He met Lan Wangji’s eyes and replied, “Why are you such a pussy? Rutslut.”

Lan Wangji’s eyes flashed with anger and the hand around Lan Zhan’s throat was gone, only for him to be wrestled to the floor. Lan Wangji put a knee on his back and leaned down to growl in his ear:

“Someone needs to teach you some manners.”

Wei Ying moved to walk into the room, suddenly worried about what Lan Wangji would do next but Wei Wuxian grabbed his wrist.

“It’s okay,” Wei Wuxian whispered. “Lan Zhan is fine.”

“But-”

“Trust me.”

Wei Ying slowly settled down and resumed back to watching. It was strangely arousing to watch the two of them wrestle around, fight, even if the insults being thrown at each other had both Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying on edge.

Lan Zhan’s heart was in his throat. He struggled, but Lan Wangji only grabbed his wrists and pinned them behind his back. He was just as shameless as Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian; if he weren’t so upset, this would be wildly arousing.

“Are you going to teach me?” Lan Zhan challenged. “I know your secret. You act tough but if Wei Wuxian came in here you’d cower and submit. You’d spread your legs for him, wouldn’t you?”

”Shut the fuck up,” Lan Wangji growled. He squeezed Lan Zhan’s wrists tight enough to make him softly cry in pain.

Grimacing, Lan Zhan looked at Lan Wangji through the corner of his watery eyes, his breaths heavy but shallow due to the position he was in. All thoughts of sexual tension left him, replaced by raw emotion. Lan Wangji stared back, then he seemed to realize something.

“You’re enjoying this,” he said. His grip on Lan Zhan’s wrists loosened ever so slightly. “You _want_ me to hurt you.”

That realization hit Lan Zhan too. He hadn’t been consciously aiming for that, but it made sense. That’s why he felt so angry when Lan Wangji deflated and invigorated when he attacked. He wanted Lan Wangji to hurt him, and it wasn’t even in a sexual way. He wanted it to be real aggression.

“Why?” Lan Wangji asked.

“I don’t know,” Lan Zhan admitted.

They stayed like that for a moment. Then Lan Wangji said, “I don’t understand you.”

“I don’t understand _you_ ,” Lan Zhan snapped.

“You embarrass me,” Lan Wangji said.

“You embarrass _me_ ,” Lan Zhan countered.

Then, to the horror of both of them, the next words they said were simultaneous:

_”What’s wrong with you?”_

They fell silent. Then Lan Zhan said, “Let me go.”

Lan Wangji let go of his wrists and stood up. Lan Zhan held himself up on his forearms and stared at the floor, then got on his knees. Lan Wangji walked around to face him.

“Let’s call a truce,” he said.

Lan Zhan looked up at him.

“Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian have more similarities than differences. They’re the same person. But we are not. You’re you, and I’m me. Two different people.” He held out his hand. “Agree?”

Lan Zhan stared between him and the outstretched hand. It felt like putting a soft wrap on a broken bone. They both knew it wasn’t true. But pretending sounded nice to him.

“Agree,” Lan Zhan said quietly. He took Lan Wangji’s hand and was pulled to his feet, feeling his wrist ache with pain.

Lan Wangji silently went back to the bed and picked up the book and stuffed animal, then started to read. Lan Zhan stared at him for a long time, trying to come to a conclusion. Could he separate Lan Wangji from himself? Would he ever stop comparing them?

To their horror, it turned out they were being watched.

Now that things had settled, Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying walked inside and looked at the two of them. Wei Wuxian made haste towards Lan Zhan and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Are you okay?” he asked quietly.

Both of the Lans were mortified to have been caught. Lan Zhan because he had been defeated so easily, and Lan Wangji because of his aggressive behavior. It would be the first time he had ever shown real aggression to an omega.

“I want a pastry,” Lan Zhan said before he walked quickly out the door.

Wei Wuxian was quick to follow him to the kitchen. There was no shying away from what had happened. "Okay, let's go get a pastry, I guess."

Wei Ying, meanwhile, shuffled over to Lan Wangji and said nothing, just wrapped his arms around him and leaned his head on his shoulder.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

Lan Wangji looked pathetically at him. “I’m sorry that you saw that,” he said quietly.

"It's okay. I told you that I wanted to see all sides of you, didn't I?" Wei Ying replied. He leaned in for a kiss.

Lan Wangji kissed him softly and then leaned his temple against Wei Ying’s forehead. “I’ve fought a lot of people,” he said. “But never an omega. I never thought I was capable of it. But... he made me so angry. I... shouldn’t have done that. I shouldn’t use violence outside of my job.”

"He antagonised you. He wanted you to fight him. You know, I was going to step in just in case when things started getting more aggressive but... Wei Wuxian stopped me. I don't think Lan Zhan is hurt," Wei Ying explained. He took a deep breath. "You would've fought him if he was an alpha. Just because he's an omega doesn't mean he's exempt from being an asshole."

Lan Wangji shook his head. “I don’t know if I would have fought him if he was an alpha,” he said. “Alphas say worse things to me and I ignore it or submit and wait for them to stop. I think... I was projecting myself onto him. I am harsher to myself than I am others.”

"Well... he is you. The sooner the both of you acknowledge that, the better," Wei Ying said. He ran his hands along Lan Wangji's chest. Then, he lowered his voice to a whisper. "I found it sort of hot, you know."

Lan Wangji was bothered by Wei Ying’s first words. He was just as uneasy as Lan Zhan was about them being the same person. He much preferred to think otherwise. He decided to focus on the other thing Wei Ying said instead.

“You found what hot?” he asked.

"You two fighting. When you had him pinned and everything... the growling..." Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji’s ears heated up. He recalled Wei Ying expressing that he wanted Lan Wangji to be more rough with him.

“I’m embarrassed,” he admitted. “Growling is childish and weak.”

"I don't know, I think I'd definitely be wet if you pinned me down and growled at me," Wei Ying said with a light laugh.

Lan Wangji squirmed. “I don’t think I could,” he said. “It would turn into a croon. Ingenuine at best.”

Wei Ying giggled more and kissed over Lan Wangji's face. "Because you love me so much, I know. It's okay."

As if on cue, Lan Wangji crooned quietly. Then it faded so he could speak clearly. “I came in here to make plans without disturbing you,” he said. “I want to take what they said and make a timeline for what might happen back home.”

"Let me help," Wei Ying said. He peered over to see what he was doing at the desk. "We work best as a team. Though I appreciate you letting me sleep in. I was very tired after last night."

Lan Wangji smiled a little. “Do you want to go back to sleep?” he asked. “It is still very early.”

"No, no, I'm up now. I'm awake. Let's do this, what have you got down already?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Wangji opened up the notes to where he had copied down what he’d heard and they started to sort through them.

Lan Zhan refused to look at Wei Wuxian. He found the pastries in the kitchen and nibbled on it, then started to think about what breakfast he could make. He wanted to keep busy.

"Hey, Lan Zhan, talk to me please... Are you okay with what happened in there?" Wei Wuxian asked.

Lan Zhan ignored him for a few seconds, until he accepted that Wei Wuxian was going to keep bothering him.

“You weren’t supposed to see it,” he said.

"Well I did, but I just want to make sure that you're alright? Wei Ying wanted to step in and pull Lan Wangji away from you but I stopped him because I thought you could handle it," Wei Wuxian replied.

“I could handle it,” Lan Zhan muttered. He took some eggs and vegetables over to the stove so he could start cooking something.

"You have a bruise on your neck. You should probably heal that. And your wrists," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan’s hand went to his neck. He still felt the twinge from being choked, but he hadn’t realized it would leave a mark.

“I don’t want to,” he said quietly. “I’ll change into a different inner robe.”

He looked at his wrists and marveled at how dark the bruises there had gotten already. He wasn’t sure why he wanted to keep them. He didn’t _like_ them being there, reminding him of how he’d been defeated so easily. But maybe it made him feel... comforted. Somehow. He didn’t want to think about that too much.

"Okay, well please heal them before the end of the week. I don't want people thinking I did that to you when we leave Lotus Pier," Wei Wuxian sighed. He shook his head. "Are you sure you're okay?"

“I don’t know,” Lan Zhan said honestly. He took a bite out of his pastry and continued to cook. After a moment he said, “I don’t know why I want to fight him. I just do.”

"Does it... give you some kind of satisfaction? Arousal? Finding out the differences between you and your other self?" Wei Wuxian asked. He rubbed his chin in thought.

Lan Zhan frowned. “That’s the problem,” he said. “There is sexual tension between us but that’s unrelated. If I wanted to have sex with him I would go about it differently. I just... want to make him mad. It felt... like a victory when he did.”

"But you understand that he's probably got a similar thought process going on, then? If you get satisfaction from making him angry, he probably does too. Clearly not in the same kind of way. It seems to me like Lan Wangji has a lot more shame than you do... but ask yourself why? He is still you, you know? A version of you, whether you like it or not," Wei Wuxian replied.

“He’s not,” Lan Zhan insisted immediately. “He said so as well. We are not the same. What do you mean he likes making me angry?”

"I don't know him as well as I know you, obviously, but there's some things I can assume. You demanded to know what was wrong with him, he demanded to know what was wrong with you. Obviously he was getting some kind of thrill out of it, even if he was ashamed of his behaviour. Maybe he just doesn't want to be what society expects of him? You know, mean, aggressive, treats omegas like shit. I don't want to be that either, I know what society expects of me, I understand. And you, you don't want to be what omegas are expected to be either, right? Quiet, demure, innocent virgins. It's the same," Wei Wuxian tried to explain.

Part of that made sense, Lan Zhan supposed. He didn’t like it though, so he refused to give it any further thought. “I don’t know if he got a thrill out of it,” he said. “I do wonder if he felt that sexual tension or if it was just me. He seemed interested when I feigned submission.”

"I think he did but he won't admit it. That would mean he liked being aggressive and he doesn't want to be that kind of alpha. Just like how you didn't want to submit to me for a long time, you didn't want to be vulnerable, even if you did want to have sex with me. But see how you became much more comfortable once we got closer?" Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan sighed. “It’s not the same,” he insisted. “Let’s stop talking about this. He’s him and I’m me.”

Wei Wuxian shook his head again and put his hands on his arms. "If we're going to have extended contact with these people, you need to accept that you two are the same person."

Lan Zhan shot him a glare. “We’re not,” he said. “Go ask him if I’m anything like him. Just the way he acts around you is enough.”

He took the omelet from the pan and put it on a plate, then cut it into pieces. He brought the plate to the table and sat down, expecting Wei Wuxian to join him and share.

"Asking him is useless because you're both as stubborn as each other. You both believe you're not because you're the same," Wei Wuxian sighed. He walked over and sat at the table.

“That makes no sense,” Lan Zhan said, because it kind of did make sense but he didn’t have a counterargument and he simply didn’t vibe with that concept.

"Wei Ying and I don't have a problem, why do you guys? You two need to let go of all that self-hatred," Wei Wuxian said and began poking at Lan Zhan's omelette.

Self-hatred was another topic altogether. Or was it? Was that why Lan Wangji made him so mad? Lan Zhan didn’t respond, hoping that Wei Wuxian would drop the subject.

"Maybe you guys should just have sex. Get all the frustration out," Wei Wuxian said with a mouth full of omelette.

Lan Zhan stabbed at his food. “Maybe,” he said, only half joking. “Anger-fueled sex. Sounds fun.”

Wei Wuxian hummed. "If you do, can I watch?"

“I don’t think Lan Wangji would actually do anything if you or Wei Ying were there,” Lan Zhan said. Yet another difference, he told himself triumphantly.

"I'll work on Lan Wangji sometime," Wei Wuxian said.

"Maybe if you hide in a closet or something," Lan Zhan said thoughtfully. "Though I think he would be more wary after this morning. I wonder if I could get him to fuck me... I don't know if he has what it takes."

Wei Wuxian shrugged his shoulders. "He, at some point, worked up the nerve to fuck Wei Ying so it must be possible."

That didn’t seem like it was the same to Lan Zhan. Lan Wangji was so... tamed when Wei Ying was around. The kind of sex Lan Zhan wanted from him was far from the kind born out of love.

“I don’t know if I want to fuck him or the other way around,” he muttered when he was done eating. “Both sound fun but infuriating.”

"Well, clearly he likes bending over for Wei Ying so maybe you'll have some luck with that. I don't know. I have a feeling you and him are very different sexually," Wei Wuxian said.

“We are,” Lan Zhan said confidently. “We are different in a lot of ways. We only look similar.” He stood up. “I’m going to the farm.”

Wei Wuxian sighed and figured there was little point in arguing now. He decided to follow him out to the farm, shaking his head.


	5. Bonding Time

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan threw hands
> 
> This chapter: Wrapping up their last few days in the other world

Lan Zhan avoided Lan Wangji after that. Any time he heard or saw the alpha, he made himself scarce. Unfortunately that meant he couldn’t spend as much time with Wei Ying, but he simply did not want to be around Lan Wangji and so sacrifices had to be made.

Lan Wangji had the same point of view. He was happy that Lan Zhan left him alone. He really thought that if Lan Zhan kept bothering him, he would… do something. He didn’t know what. And really, that scared him.

He felt like they were running out of time. He knew they had a couple days left, but he still felt unprepared. He had gone over his notes a hundred times, but this felt like it required more than just speculation. Eventually he decided that they would just need more details. The more information they had, the better they would be able to handle situations as they came. They could see what was the same and what was different as things moved forward in their own world.

After dinner that evening, they gathered in one of the guest bedrooms to go over things once again. Lan Wangji had Little Blue, a pastry, and a list of questions to get him through the session. He sat cross-legged on the bed and idly flipped through his notes and started off by asking about approximate dates of events.

He did his best to ignore Lan Zhan. As much as he didn’t want to be around the omega, his input was valuable.

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, didn’t feel this need as strongly. He was annoyed that he had to be in the same room as Lan Wangji. He made a meager attempt to be normal for a few minutes, but watching Lan Wangji eat his pastry was getting on his nerves. He couldn’t even pay attention to the questions being asked.

Lan Wangji could feel the burning stare. Eventually he couldn’t ignore it anymore and he met Lan Zhan’s gaze. His golden eyes were swimming with contempt, darting from Lan Wangji to the pastry in his hand. He could feel the intention behind that stare, and when something in those eyes changed, Lan Wangji knew he was going to try and steal the food from him.

He wasn’t having it. He let out a low growl, muted behind his lips but quietly threatening.

Wei Wuxian wasn't exactly aware of what was going on but he did hear the growl directed at his omega by Lan Wangji. Running on pure instinct alone, he growled back fiercely at Lan Wangji.

The intensity of it shocked Lan Wangji into silence. He glanced at Wei Wuxian and then looked away submissively. He still shot annoyed looks at Lan Zhan though. He was overwhelmed with the conflicting need to show Wei Wuxian that he wasn't a threat and the need to keep Lan Zhan minding his own business. The omega hadn't backed down and was still staring at him.

Lan Zhan suddenly reached over for the pastry and Lan Wangji growled again, this time with his lips parted. At the same time, he briefly considered eating the rest of the pastry, but he didn't even want it that badly so he instead dropped it in front of Wei Ying and out of Lan Zhan's reach.

Wei Ying happily picked it up and took a bite, looking pleased with himself. Wei Wuxian on the other hand, was not going to tolerate Lan Wangji's behaviour and growled louder back at him.

Lan Wangji shrunk into himself a little and once again looked away, showing surrender. The situation was making his heart race. He was supposed to be working on their plan...

Lan Zhan was just getting more annoyed. He wanted to keep pushing, but he knew that he couldn't without looking like an even bigger asshole. And with Wei Wuxian meddling, he wouldn't get what he wanted anyway.

"I can't focus," he said, getting off the bed. "I'm going to step out."

Lan Wangji couldn't help but relax a little as Lan Zhan walked out of the room. Maybe he could get back on track again.

Wei Ying leaned over to kiss Lan Wangji's cheek and took the half-eaten pastry, following Lan Zhan out the door. Something was up and he likely needed some support. He would take it on as a duty as a fellow omega.

"Lan Zhan," he called out.

Lan Zhan bristled, then forced himself to back down from the defensive reaction. He kept walking back to his and Wei Wuxian’s room.

“Go back in there,” he said. “I’m fine.”

Wei Ying grabbed Lan Zhan's hand and started pulling him in the other direction, towards the gardens.

"Just humour me for a minute," he said.

Lan Zhan wanted to argue, but he was a little curious. “Aren’t you concerned about needing to plan?” he asked.

"I am but it's no good planning if we can't work together. Sometimes we need a breather and that's okay. Just come with me for a bit," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Zhan followed behind him. He realized this would be the first time he was actually alone with Wei Ying. He didn’t know how to feel about it.

Wei Ying took Lan Zhan out into the gardens and took a seat under one of the trees. "Come sit."

Lan Zhan sat down next to him. Admittedly, being outside did help ease his nerves a little. He always felt more at ease around plants and animals. He leaned back against the trunk of the tree and looked up.

"We had gardens like this back in my Lotus Pier. Jiang Cheng and I used to hang out sometimes at night and Auntie Yu would scold us because we were out after dark and... it was improper because he was an alpha and I was an omega," Wei Ying said with a hum. He took another bite of the pastry. "But it's dumb, isn't it? The rules about this stuff."

Lan Zhan hummed. It amazed him that even with some differences, Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian had such similar experiences. Madame Yu apparently despised them both... inevitably, he thought about Wei Wuxian tearing out her throat. He did his best to let the thought pass by. The mental image used to trigger episodes for him, but his brain had bombarded him with it enough times that by now most of the emotion had been wrung out of the memory. Now, only the memory of choking Wei Wuxian bothered him.

Despite himself, Wei Ying kept talking. "I wish things weren't so complicated in that regard. I wouldn't change anything about myself or what I've been through but... I'm jealous of Wei Wuxian sometimes. He surely doesn't have to put up with the things I do. Wang Laoshi often has to scold the other alphas in my conjuration class because they say things. Why should my biology matter anyway? I'm as strong as any of them, if not stronger."

Wang Laoshi... Lan Zhan remembered speaking to him recently. "It seems like you have the mind of an alpha," he said. "Your confidence is unaffected by... all of it.”

"It isn't easy to put on a brave face when alphas harass me. You know, Lan Wangji beat the shit out of some alphas who were harassing me. I'm not like other omegas, I know that. I'm not the way that the Wens would want me to be and I don't... get along too well with the omega girls. That's why I latched onto Lan Wangji, you know? Because he was... not someone who was going to harass me. I knew he could protect me if I needed him too and he wasn't an omega," Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan hummed thoughtfully. "Wei Wuxian did that too when we first met," he said. "I thought he was too respectful, back then. Our alphas are similar."

Wei Ying smiled down at his lap. "Wei Wuxian is a good man, I think... I'm glad that even as an alpha, I kept my morals and I'm...still a good person."

"Sometimes I think he is too good," Lan Zhan said quietly. It was weird to be talking about this kind of thing to someone who wasn't his mate... but really, Wei Ying was similar enough that that probably explained it.

"What do you mean?" Wei Ying asked.

Lan Zhan hummed and looked around. "I treated him badly," he said. "He never complained. Never asked for anything to make up for it. He was treated badly by his family, and still is, but he doesn't consider it important. Even with how things are now, and how happy he is despite it, I wouldn't want to be him."

Wei Ying awkwardly tugged at his robes. "I don't know... I guess it's just in our nature, you know? To brush things off, push all our feelings deep down under. If he's anything like me then... he doesn't want to worry his mate."

Lan Zhan's lips quirked up a little. "He is like you," he said. "I am concerned about him now.... but it is difficult to help him when he does not want to be fretted over. I know that it hurts him, seeing Jiang Wanyin tolerate you so easily."

Wei Ying was quiet for a moment before looking up and at Lan Zhan.

"Do you want the rest of this pastry?" he asked.

Lan Zhan looked at the pastry and considered it, then he took it. He had been more interested in making Lan Wangji mad than he had been in getting the pastry, but it was sweet and he always liked sweet things.

"Regardless of what happens, I hope you and Lan Wangji can... get along, at the very least. It would mean a lot to me," Wei Ying said softly. He leaned his head on Lan Zhan's shoulder. "I like you. You and Wei Wuxian. And I love Lan Wangji, he's my soulmate. We want to help you so... it would be nice if we could be amicable."

Lan Zhan didn't respond to that. He knew that it was in everyone's best interest to try to be on good terms with Lan Wangji, but he didn't know if that was possible. Even being near the man made him itch for a fight. He had felt better that morning after they had agreed on accepting their differences, but then it was retracted once Wei Wuxian argued with him about them being the same person.

Wei Ying glanced up at him again and then grabbed Lan Zhan's cheek so he could plant a big, wet kiss on it.

"Cheer up, okay?" he said with a big smile.

Lan Zhan looked over at him and then looked him up and down. He had half a mind to pin Wei Ying to the ground, but he wasn't sure if he felt good enough to go through with it.

"Okay," he said, turning back to munch on the pastry.

Meanwhile, Wei Wuxian had been left in the room with Lan Wangji. He approached him slowly, like a predator stalking its prey, looking him up and down. His hackles were still raised from all the growling and he couldn't help letting another one slip, just to get his message across.

Things had gone from okay to catastrophic within seconds. Lan Wangji should have followed Wei Ying or kept him near, but he had just watched his lifeline leave the room. Now, not only was the target of his frustration gone, but now he was left to wallow in the consequences for that frustration. Consequences he was not prepared for.

He didn't blame Wei Wuxian, really. His reaction was justified, especially considering the bruises Lan Wangji had left on his omega that morning. They looked brutal. Even if Lan Wangji were the kind of person to stand up for himself, he would have no excuse to do so this time.

He ducked his head a little and looked into the corner of the room that was to his left, avoiding Wei Wuxian's gaze as much as possible.

Wei Wuxian didn't like to let his animal instincts run wild too much, it was a part of himself he wasn't fond of. However, Lan Wangji truly brought something out in him... maybe it was the competition of another alpha in such close company. He grabbed the far side of Lan Wangji's neck and leaned in to scent him.

Lan Wangji tensed up. He tilted his head up this time and bared his neck, letting the sweet, submissive scent come out. The closer Wei Wuxian got, the more frantically he submitted as if that were the only thing that would save him.

He started to lay down, but he had forgotten that he was sitting at the edge of the bed and he toppled to the floor with a painful thud. His legs were still in the air and he scrambled backwards so he wasn't upside-down anymore. At least that had gotten him some space...

But then Wei Wuxian closed that space and pounced on him. He clambered over him on the floor, grabbing at his wrists and pinning him down.

"I've never smelt an alpha with such a sweet scent," he mumbled.

Now Lan Wangji was confused. The act of being pinned down didn't threaten him at all since he could easily pull himself out of it, but it caused a very different issue instead. _Get ahold of yourself,_ he thought, _this isn't the time to think about that._ He submitted again, tilting his head back and closing his eyes.

Wei Wuxian was quickly getting addicted to that submissive smell. He took a deep breath and shuffed to sit between Lan Wangji's legs, leaning down to nose at his neck again with another soft growl.

Lan Wangji started shaking. He could feel his body lighting up with arousal despite his efforts to dampen it. This wasn't good. He didn't really know what Wei Wuxian's intentions were, but he was quickly realizing that it didn't matter if Wei Wuxian wanted to fight him or something else -- his body was going to react the same way. And while being in such a tense situation, he felt like getting horny would make things worse. Especially if Lan Zhan returned.

He resigned himself to what he had to do. He pushed through Wei Wuxian's strong grip, slowly but steadily. He put his hands on Wei Wuxian's waist and picked him up (he was quite a lot heavier than Wei Ying, he noticed -- it actually took effort to pick him up) and set him down gently next to him. Then he rolled over and scrambled to his feet. He grabbed his notes from the bed and bolted, fleeing down the hallway. He wondered if Jiang Wanyin had already retired to his room yet... maybe he could get answers from him instead. He didn't know if that would be safer or worse.

Wei Wuxian was left on the floor, somewhat bewildered. He thought he'd read all the signs, that this was what Lan Wangi wanted, but maybe he'd been wrong? He wasn't sure but there was time to find out yet.

Lan Wangji had assessed the risk level and decided that Jiang Wanyin was the safer bet. Even though the man was hotheaded and had not hesitated to barge into his room and pin him to the wall in his own world, the odds were in Lan Wangji's favor. After all, he hadn't brutalized Jiang Wanyin's omega. He had baked pastries with her the other night. Still, he couldn't help but be nervous as he waited for his knock to be answered. Or ignored. Was it rude to go to his room after dinner like this?

Jiang Wanyin was sat at his desk in his room, skimming through reports with a hot cup of tea. He wasn't quite tired enough to go to sleep yet but he was still surprised to be disturbed at this hour.

"Come in," Jiang Wanyin called out from the desk.

Lan Wangji took a deep breath before he entered, his head lowered. He naturally took a slightly submissive posture just because of being in another alpha's space, but the experience he had just had made it especially so.

"I am attempting to get more information about the war in this world so that we may be more prepared when we return home," he said. "I understand that it is a sensitive topic, however."

Jiang Wanyin turned around in his chair to look at Lan Wangji. He could tell that he was flustered and dishevelled but he didn't question it.

"What do you want to know?" he asked.

Lan Wangji approached and knelt down so he could more easily write in his notes. He opened his notebook and looked at the questions he had written down. "Do you remember the date of when Lotus Pier was attacked?" he asked.

"It was the 20th of June. Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan were going to get married that day so I remember," Jiang Wanyin replied.

Lan Wangji frowned and wrote that down. Back home, the Wens had attacked in early July. "Lan Zhan mentioned that the family was captured and taken," he said. "In our world, they simply killed whoever they could, and only took Wei Ying. Also, they attacked within the first few days of July. Wei Ying had been home for a few weeks by then. Apparently, they had had a meeting shortly after his arrival in Yunmeng and Wen Chao asked for Wei Ying's hand in marriage. They refused, and a couple of weeks later they were attacked. So it seems on the surface as though the motivations for the attacks are different. Wei Wuxian said that here, they wanted you to build a facility for them, one that exists now. They never mentioned this in our world that I know of. Were they perhaps... attempting to recruit you and your family to their ideology? And taking you captive was supposed to intimidate..."

He frowned again. If they were trying to just intimidate but not kill them, why would they have done that to Wei Wuxian and put him in the room with them? It didn't make sense. "I apologize... I am just trying to understand their intentions so we can better prepare."

It was a difficult thing to recall. Jiang Wanyin didn't like to think about it too much but he shook his head. "It's fine. Those Wen dogs were trying to recruit us. Had we agreed to be their test subjects for the omega facilities, we would have been partners in this, not subservient. I would have been given a choice of wife from all the subjugated omegas and assured that I would have a lot of power. Of course, they tried to extend this offer to Wei Wuxian too, but he had Lan Zhan by then. When we said no, they came to take us by force. Rounded up our omegas, killed anyone who fought back. They captured Wei Wuxian and I alongside the omegas and tested their drugs on us. They didn't care if it killed us, I think they wanted to drag the torture out and... And see us turn on each other, our loved ones."

Lan Wangji grimaced. "Perhaps the motivations were similar," he said. "They might have wanted a partnership in our world as well, with Wei Ying acting as some kind of bridge. It seems as though Wen Chao was the one making more decisions in our world, since he wanted Wei Ying. Do you know how involved he was in what happened here?"

"Pretty sure he was the one behind all the drug testing rather than just killing us. He's a real piece of shit," Jiang Wanyin said bitterly.

Lan Wangji hummed. "Maybe Wen Chao was solely focused on getting Wei Ying rather than torturing anyone," he said softly. Now that he thought about it, it was a miracle that it turned out the way it did back home. Wei Ying had not been raped... it was sickening how much devastation rested in Wen Chao's hands.

"After the attack, the survivors returned to Gusu," he said. "In our world, you rescued Wei Ying from Wen Chao and took him to Lanling, where Jiang Yanli was. After our wedding, both of them returned there, and I assume they are there now. Lan Zhan mentioned that the Jins surrendering was a major point, and after that other powerful families followed suit. He said that it was over the course of a few months. Part of our plan is to go to the Jin family and urge them to fight, and possibly help them do so. Do you think this is possible, based on what happened here?"

"I don't know. The Jins have always tried to take the easy way out so it would take some convincing. They folded easily here. Your best shot would be to talk to my sister. Her husband is the son of Jin Guangshan so he might have a bit more influence," Jiang Wanyin replied.

Lan Wangji nodded and wrote that down and circled it. "You have an agreement with the Wens now," he said. "Here, Jiang Fengmian still lives. How was this deal made, and why isn't Jiang Fengmian here?" He squirmed a little. These were difficult questions to ask.

"I made the deal with the Wens. I made the offer to Jiang Fengmian to help me rebuild Lotus Pier but he wanted nothing to do with it. Much more content off being a rutslut with Lan Zhan's dad, I guess," Jiang Wanyin said coldly, pointedly not looking at Lan Wangji as he spoke.

"Lan Qingheng..." Lan Wangji whispered. "It is strange to me, because... my father left when I was born and never returned."

He shook his head. That wasn't important. "Anyway... I suppose if Jiang Fengmian was not involved here, then Jiang Wanyin in our world might still be able to make a similar deal. Do you think this deal has been beneficial? If you could change anything about your actions after the attack, would you?"

"This deal has kept people safe and alive. I can't ask for anything more than that," Jiang Wanyin replied. "I did what I could, made the best of what I had."

Lan Wangji nodded. A thought occurred to him and he considered it. "Because this is such a... strange situation... is there anything you want me to tell the Jiang Wanyin in our world?"

Jiang Wanyin shook his head. "No. If he really is me, I trust him to make the right decisions."

Lan Wangji nodded. "Do you remember when the Jin family surrendered?" he asked.

"Some time in the middle of October, I think the 17th was when we heard about it," Jiang Wanyin said.

Lan Wangji wrote that down. He felt like he had asked enough questions -- he had asked the major ones already, and he didn't want to keep bothering Jiang Wanyin anymore. "Thank you for speaking with me," he said as he stood up.

Jiang Wanyin bat his hand. "It's fine, it's fine. I understand that... you're trying to help."

Lan Wangji nodded. "If things go well in our world, and we are able to, we will return and help here," he said. He bowed politely and saw himself out.

He felt more calm now than before he had walked into the room, but his anxiety returned in part when he left. He cautiously walked down the hallway for the guest bedrooms and peered into his and Wei Ying's room. Finding it empty, he breathed a sigh of relief and went inside and shut the door. It wasn't nine yet, but he still got ready to sleep and curled up in bed with a poetry book. He figured that Wei Ying would have fun with the other two and then join him afterwards, like the night before.

Wei Wuxian had gone to find Wei Ying and Lan Zhan shortly after Lan Wangji had fled. He found Wei Ying attached closely to Lan Zhan and unwilling to part from him. The two had apparently decided they were going to have a sleepover of sorts, spending some more time out in the gardens and then Wei Ying was going to accompany Lan Zhan in their room. So, Wei Wuxian took this as an opportunity to bother Lan Wangji some more. Hopefully, he hadn't scared him off too bad.

He hummed as he looked around for the missing alpha. He stopped by the kitchen to pick up and eat one of the leftover pastries before heading to Wei Ying and Lan Wangji's guest room. To be polite, he knocked before he swung the door open.

Lan Wangji mistakenly assumed that it was Wei Ying, since the way he curled up had him facing away from the door. "I spoke with Jiang Wanyin," he said as he turned the page of his book.

"Oh? What did you two talk about?" Wei Wuxian replied with a knowing smirk. He leaned on the doorframe and watched for a moment.

To his credit, Lan Wangji didn't jump _too_ much. Startled, he looked over his shoulder at Wei Wuxian. Had the man not figured out that he made Lan Wangji anxious by now? Well... Wei Ying had also made him anxious when they first met, but that served as no deterrent. He blinked owlishly at him.

Wei Wuxian pouted and started walking towards the bed. "Hey, I asked you a question."

Panicked, Lan Wangji turned back over and flipped through his book. He had successfully gotten through the incident earlier without popping a boner and he attributed that mostly to being upset with Lan Zhan. But his frustration had long passed now, so all that was left was the glaring memory of Wei Wuxian pinning him down and growling at him and-- _think about something else think about something else_ he thought to himself, though his brain supplied him with no alternatives.

"You're pretty skittish, aren't you? You're really not at all what I thought you'd be but you don't see me complaining. It's really very cute actually," Wei Wuxian continued since clearly Lan Wangji was not going to speak. He sat down on the bed.

Lan Wangji took a deep, slow breath. He could handle this encounter. He wasn't even completely sure why this made him so anxious, since he very much was attracted to Wei Wuxian... maybe it was his attraction that made him anxious. That would be consistent with his issues from the past.

"I asked Jiang Wanyin about specific dates of events," he said, and he was relieved that his voice didn't break. "He was very helpful."

Wei Wuxian let out a thoughtful hum. "Does the Jiang Wanyin in your world look the same as the one here? Are they the same in most ways? They are both alphas, right?"

"Yes," Lan Wangji said. "They seem to be the same." He remembered Jiang Wanyin shoving him against the wall in his own bedroom. That was yet another thought he didn't need to be having.

"Do you find him attractive?" Wei Wuxian asked with a lopsided smile.

Lan Wangji frightfully considered the possibility that Wei Wuxian could read his mind. He did his best to think of undead soldiers in dungeons, as if that would make him seem more sane. He turned a page in his book, though he hadn't read a word.

Wei Wuxian let out a dramatic sigh and laid back on the bed, kicking off his boots as he did. "Sheesh. You're just as bad as Lan Zhan, not answering my questions."

Lan Wangji heard the boots hit the floor and he silently protested. Was he planning on staying? Where was Wei Ying? He considered being rude and telling him to go away, but he didn't think he was capable of that.

"Lan Zhan thinks Jiang Wanyin is hot so you're probably the same," Wei Wuxian continued to chatter casually.

Lan Wangji's eyebrow twitched. He had stopped being mad at Lan Zhan, but Wei Wuxian was pushing that. "I'm not," he said.

Wei Wuxian rolled around and shuffled to pull the book out of Lan Wangji's hands. He tossed it to one side and then swung his leg over Lan Wangji's lap to straddle him.

"You ran away from me earlier. What are you so afraid of?" he asked.

Lan Wangji turned onto his back and looked wide-eyed up at him. He then eyed the open door. Where was Wei Ying? What if Lan Zhan came looking for his mate? He squirmed and then reached for his book again.

"If you're worried about the omegas, they won't be coming here. I saw them outside, they're spending the night together, in my room. It's just us," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji eyed the door again. That eased his biggest anxieties, but...

“Lock the door,” he mumbled, then he looked away and covered his mouth with the back of his hand. His face was on fire now that he’d said that.

Wei Wuxian grinned a little and got up off the bed so he could go and lock the bedroom door.

Lan Wangji squirmed and rolled over onto his stomach and pulled his book over with a pencil and start scribbling notes in one of the pages. He considered how he could salvage the situation. At this rate, he wasn’t getting out alive. He would die of embarrassment.

"What are you writing over there?" Wei Wuxian asked as he walked back to the bed. He sat down on the side and ran a hand carefully up Lan Wangji's back.

Lan Wangji shivered, his hand faltering. “What we have done so far here,” he said quietly. His poetry book was full of little notes of thoughts here and there. Now he just needed something to do.

"Will you write about what we're going to do too?" Wei Wuxian continued huskily, leaning in to whisper in Lan Wangji's ear.

Lan Wangji curled his fingers around the pencil. The words and tone of voice had him shivering again. This time he turned his head a little to look at Wei Wuxian in the corner of his eye. “What is that?” he asked in a whisper.

Wei Wuxian hummed again. "That depends. If I pin you down, are you going to run away from me again?"

Lan Wangji swallowed and looked back at his book. He was already feeling tingly because of this. Did he want to run away again? Kind of. But also... he kind of wanted Wei Wuxian to keep him from doing so. Not that he physically could. He thought of Wei Wuxian growling at him... would he do that again? He bit his lip.

Lan Wangji was even less chatty than Lan Zhan and that was saying something. Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes and started to pull off his clothes until he was left in a pair of pants and nothing else.

Lan Wangji tensed up and dropped his forehead to the bed. He could hear clothes rustling... He really wasn’t going to survive this. What made Wei Wuxian think he was attracted to alphas? Was it because of Lan Zhan’s thing for Wei Ying, or something he did? He didn’t know if he was grateful for it or not.

"You're not uncomfortable with this, are you? I know it probably kills the fantasy hearing me talk like this the whole time but it's important to me that I'm not upsetting my partners. Lan Zhan likes pretending I'm an omega sometimes, even before you guys came along, so getting to fuck Wei Ying was a real fantasy of his," Wei Wuxian said. He sat back down on the bed.

_I’m not Lan Zhan,_ Lan Wangji thought. It was pointless trying to argue that. The question wasn’t one that was easily answered. He was uncomfortable because the situation made him anxious. Whether he would enjoy for it to continue was a different question though. He really didn’t know how he felt about what was going on, not enough to put it to words. He kind of wanted to hide, but he also more-than-kind-of wanted Wei Wuxian to do things to him. It was confusing.

“I don’t know,” he admitted in a whisper.

Wei Wuxian didn't think he was going to get much more out of him. He grabbed Lan Wangji's shoulders and flipped him over onto his back. It seemed like he was just going to have to take initiative. He straddled Lan Wangji again and latched onto his neck, kissing and biting his way down while his hands yanked at his clothes.

Lan Wangji’s heart almost jumped out of his chest. It was impossible to control his body anymore and he could smell his scent changing. It was somewhere between submission and arousal, and it was a little humiliating. Strangely, he almost _liked_ the humiliation. He bared his neck and squirmed, kicking the blankets off of him.

Wei Wuxian answered with a growl. He clawed at Lan Wangji's sash and pulled it free before opening up his robes and kissing down his chest.

Gods. Lan Wangji actually _whimpered_. Unable to handle it, he gripped the blankets tightly in his hands.

Wei Wuxian kept kissing and biting his way down until he reached the hem of Lan Wangji's pants. Without another thought, he tugged them down to pull his cock out.

"Wow. You really are big," he breathed.

Lan Wangji gasped and breathed out shakily. He was so exposed... he was glad he had told Wei Wuxian to lock the door. He tried to bend his knees but he couldn’t with Wei Wuxian positioned the way he was.

“D-don’t look,” he mumbled.

"Why not? There's nothing to be ashamed of. I can see why Wei Ying likes you so much," Wei Wuxian said with a light laugh. He stroked Lan Wangji's cock lightly, watching it harden with fascinated eyes.

Lan Wangji grabbed a pillow and threw it over his face and turned his head to the side so he could hide. He couldn’t watch this happening.

Wei Wuxian chuckled at his modesty. He leaned in to lick a long stripe up Lan Wangji's cock and then suckled on the tip.

Lan Wangji made an embarrassing noise. The feeling was so overwhelming that he couldn’t take it. He started pulling his pants back up with a frantic, “Too much!”

Wei Wuxian put his hand on Lan Wangji's and stilled him.

"Would you rather suck my cock instead?" he asked.

Lan Wangji blinked nervously at him. Yes, he very much would like that. But was he willing to admit it?

...Yes, he was. He nodded minutely and looked away.

Wei Wuxian licked his lips and found it hard to suppress his excitement. Lan Zhan didn't like sucking his cock but Wei Ying had quite enjoyed it. Even so... Lan Wangji... He sat back on his haunches and hurried to untie his laces and pull out his cock which was already half-hard.

"Be a good boy then. No teeth," he said. He shuffled to straddle Lan Wangji's face with his thighs and pressed his cock against his lips.

Lan Wangji put the pillow aside and pulled his pants up the rest of the way, though it didn’t do a whole lot to cover him up due to his size. He opened his mouth and waited obediently. This was a much more comfortable spot to be in, he thought. It also filled him with excitement and pleasure.

Such a good boy, Wei Wuxian thought. He laced his fingers through Lan Wangji's hair and eased his cock inside. He let out a long moan at the wet heat and gave a few experimental thrusts to gauge how much Lan Wangji could take.

Lan Wangji wrapped his lips around the shaft and make a quiet, contented noise. Once it got deep enough to trigger his gag reflex he reached up to wrap his hand around the base. He closed his eyes and started to suck.

"You really do like this, huh?" Wei Wuxian breathed. He pulled on Lan Wangji's hair lightly, encouraging him.

Lan Wangji’s scent sweetened even more. He let his thoughts go, choosing to fall back into a state of pure enjoyment. He always enjoyed serving and submitting to Wei Ying in bed, but this was something more than that. Wei Wuxian was using him, and that was a kind of bliss he had never experienced before.

Wei Wuxian kept fucking into his mouth, letting out small moans and mumbles of praise, until he eventually got too close to the edge. He pulled out with a soft grunt.

"I can't. I'll cum," he said.

“Please,” Lan Wangji breathed, his eyes full of tears. He needed Wei Wuxian to cum, on him or in him it didn’t matter.

"Take your pants off and roll over. I'd rather cum inside you," Wei Wuxian said.

“Cum in here,” Lan Wangji said before he took hold of Wei Wuxian’s hips and pulled him forward a little so his cock slid back into his mouth.

"If I do that, I won't be able to get it back up for a little while," Wei Wuxian whined.

Lan Wangji didn’t care. He started sucking and pulled Wei Wuxian’s hips again, encouraging him to move.

Wei Wuxian shuffled back and held Lan Wangji at bay by his hair.

"Do you want me to fuck you or not?" he asked.

It was difficult to think clearly. Lan Wangji wasn’t sure whether he wanted that or not, so he decided to play it safe and shook his head.

“I want...” He swallowed and stared lustfully at Wei Wuxian’s cock.

Wei Wuxian pouted a little but didn't argue. He tilted Lan Wangji's head back and stroked his cock with his other hand.

"Open your mouth then," he said.

Lan Wangji obeyed immediately. Was Wei Wuxian going to fuck his mouth, or was he going to cum on his face? Either one was extremely appealing, honestly.

It didn't take Wei Wuxian long to climax while he was stroking himself. He came with a moan, shooting his cum into Lan Wangji's mouth, over his tongue, and a little splashing over his face.

Lan Wangji let out a soft, short moan. He did his best to collect it all in his mouth. When it was finished, he breathed out a “thank you” and used his thumb to wipe up the rest and stuck it in his mouth.

"Do you want me to get you off?" Wei Wuxian asked breathily as he tucked his cock back into his pants.

Lan Wangji considered it. He squirmed a little at the thought and pulled the covers back up over his body. He had to verbally say what he wanted, didn’t he? He tapped into all of the skills Wei Ying had given him with his endless patience. “Can you... under the covers... your hand...”

Wei Wuxian nodded. It reminded him faintly of himself back when he and Lan Zhan first started having sex. He didn't want Lan Zhan to look so he'd asked him to get him off under his clothes. With a hum, Wei Wuxian leaned down to nuzzle affectionately against the crook of Lan Wangji's neck while his hand slipped down under his pants to grasp his cock.

Oh, this was _bliss_. Lan Wangji arched his back a little and tilted his head up and to the side. Wei Wuxian had fucked his mouth for a while, so he was already so turned on... his cock twitched in Wei Wuxian's hand. As much as he loved the growling and aggression, this was just as good. The affection made him weak. "Wei Wuxian," he breathed.

"Yes, baby... This feels good, huh?" Wei Wuxian replied. He stroked him carefully, squeezing his head with every few strokes.

Lan Wangji tilted his hips up as he sought more. He whimpered, unable to handle Wei Wuxian's words. He thought he was going to melt. "Yes," he whispered. He put his hands over Wei Wuxian's arms to ground himself.

"You're being such a good boy for me. I can't wait to fuck you some day," Wei Wuxian rasped, biting lightly at his neck. He kept pumping his cock hard and fast.

Lan Wangji made a choked sound in the back of his throat. He almost suggested that Wei Wuxian finger him, but the sudden increase in intensity was too much for him to speak through. He cried out softly, his eyes filling up with tears again. He arched his back and came into Wei Wuxian's hand as the tears spilled from his eyes.

Wei Wuxian pulled his hand away after a moment and licked the cum off his fingers.

"Feel good?" he asked.

Lan Wangji closed his eyes and let his head fall back as his breath evened out. He still felt on top of the clouds, like it was difficult to think clearly. "Yeah," he said.

Wei Wuxian decided that Lan Wangji made a good enough pillow for now and flopped down on top of him.

"Good," he mumbled.

Lan Wangji turned his head to the side and sighed deeply. This had made him sleepy, moreso than what usually happened when he had sex. He had had a stressful day, though, right from the start. Usually he couldn't sleep without Wei Ying near, but like this, he probably would.

"I want to knot you sometime..." Wei Wuxian said softly. "Wei Ying told us that you let him fuck you but it wouldn't be the same with me, you know?"

Lan Wangji only half processed what he said. "Knot..." His eyes fluttered open and he blinked a few times. "Okay."

"You want me to knot you?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Yeah," Lan Wangji said automatically. He closed his eyes again.

Wei Wuxian chuckled lightly and kissed at his neck again. "You're so cute."

Lan Wangji hummed. He liked the compliment, but when he thought about it, he had to disagree. He was not cute. Wei Ying was cute. "Not cute," he whispered.

"No? If you're not cute, then who is cute?" Wei Wuxian asked. He folded his arms on Lan Wangji's chest and propped his head on them.

"Wei Ying," Lan Wangji whispered. It was an automatic response, the obvious answer. It was like being asked to add two and two.

Wei Wuxian laughed. "Yeah, okay. I'll give you that, he's very cute. Hey, you know, tell me about your relationship with him."

Lan Wangji was falling asleep. He sighed, and then blinked his eyes open. Wei Wuxian had asked him a question, he realized. "Hm?"

"You and Wei Ying. How did you two get together? I know you didn't have sex first like Lan Zhan and I..." Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji turned to stare up at the ceiling and forced himself to think about the year before. "We met last year," he said. "He found me in the library on his first day at the university. I didn't talk to him. He drew a picture of me and I thought he was making fun of me so I ran away."

He was being oddly honest... but he didn't really have the brain power to think about it.

"And you decided that this was the cutest little omega boy you'd ever seen and you were going to destroy him with your dick, right?" Wei Wuxian said with a snort of laughter.

"No," Lan Wangji said, unaffected by the joke. "I didn't want him that way."

Wei Wuxian pouted at his joke falling flat. "Well, what changed that?"

"Wei Ying asked me earlier this year," Lan Wangji said, his words morphing into a yawn. "He wanted to spend my rut with me, and he wanted to practice first."

"And what, you just never looked at him in a sexy way until he asked you to have sex with him? I don't buy that for a second," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Wangji closed his eyes again, unwilling to argue about it. "Okay," he said.

"Wei Ying really is so very cute and has the sweetest little pussy. I'm glad I turned out so beautiful in every world..." Wei Wuxian mumbled. "And he doesn't shut up about you. He really loves you."

That was sweet. Lan Wangji smiled a little bit. "He is my soulmate," he murmured.

"Good. Treat him well," Wei Wuxian replied. He rested his cheek on Lan Wangji's chest and closed his eyes.

"I will," Lan Wangji whispered. He yawned again, then wiped his eyes. Talking about Wei Ying made him miss him, but he hoped that he was having fun with Lan Zhan.

Lan Wangji woke up in the morning with Wei Wuxian still in his bed. He had slept in and he felt groggy. Honestly, finding Wei Wuxian instead of Wei Ying next to him hurt his feelings a little, but he did his best to rationalize it away. They didn't have very long to be here, so of course Wei Ying wanted to spend time with the other two. He just missed his mate.


	6. Punishment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Wei Ying and Lan Zhan talk in the garden, Lan Wangji gets some information from Jiang Wanyin, then he gets some dick from Wei Wuxian.
> 
> This chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying return to their own world. Their plans are set back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I said in the extra I posted last night that we wouldn't be posting this weekend, but we ended up finishing the edits!! Now you can experience pain on time!
> 
> **TW:** threat of rape, but it does not happen. Sexual harassment. See end notes for detailed warnings.

The rest of their time there wasn't the best. Lan Wangji felt a little depressed for a while, and it turned into frustration easily when he thought about Lan Zhan for more than a minute. He had mostly gotten over it by the last day, though. He and Lan Zhan silently agreed to put more effort into avoiding each other. He got the information he needed and they came up with something of a plan. They had everything packed on the last day and waited around anxiously to be brought back.

Actually going back wasn't an issue. It was just a simple feeling of weightlessness and brief unconsciousness. But when they woke up afterwards, it was clear something was wrong.

The Servant shoved both of them out of the cave before they could gather their surroundings, yelling something about not making a mess in his house. Lan Wangji was confused at first, but then he realized what the mage meant. He fell to the ground and vomited up everything he had eaten that day.

Wei Ying followed shortly after, stumbling until he caught himself on his knees and throwing up. He coughed and spluttered, holding his head with a groan, and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"Oh Gods, I feel awful," he whined.

Lan Wangji dug around in his bag and pulled out one of the jugs of water. He rinsed out his mouth and then handed the jug to Wei Ying.

“No one said that this magic is easy on the body,” the Servant said. “Expect to feel like this for a day or two.”

Wei Ying grumbled again as he took the jug from Lan Wangji and rinsed his mouth out too.

Lan Wangji didn’t know if he would safely be able to ride a horse like this. He felt dizzy, like he wouldn’t be able to stand up if he tried.

“Wei Ying,” he said breathlessly. “Are you okay?”

Wei Ying nodded slowly. "Yeah but...if I move too fast I might throw up again."

Lan Wangji sighed. “We might have to stay for a while,” he said. “Will this happen every time?”

“Yes,” the Servant said.

Lan Wangji held his head. If they were going to go back... “If we go back, will it be worse?”

The Servant hummed thoughtfully. “If you stay longer, it will.”

Lan Wangji groaned. He would worry about this later.

Wei Ying desperately found himself clinging to Lan Wangji, leaning his forehead on him as his stomach made another upset noise.

Like it was said, it was a full day before they could travel back to Gusu. With the five days it took to make it back to the university, Lan Wangji's sense of urgency grew.

Lan Xichen was ecstatic to see them. He ran over and pulled Lan Wangji into a hug. "I was beginning to worry I had made a mistake," he admitted. "I'm glad you're home."

"Not for long," Lan Wangji said.

They went into an empty classroom and Lan Wangji pulled out his notes. Lan Xichen turned to Wei Ying and smiled. "How was your trip?" he asked while his brother flipped through his notebook.

"A mixture of things, really. We got some useful information, learnt a lot. We have a lot of ground to cover but we think we have a game plan. And uh... it was fun, in a lot of ways, too," Wei Ying said.

Lan Xichen smiled again. "I'm glad that your experience was positive," he said. "I was worried about you two."

"We need to go to Lanling," Lan Wangji said. "We have until somewhere in October, I think. In the other world, the Jins surrendered just before October 17th and other major families followed after that."

Lan Xichen blinked a few times. "Lanling... I'm not sure if this is related, but they've closed their borders. Students from the area can't contact their families, and one said that no one is being allowed in."

Lan Wangji frowned. It was only August 24th. Maybe they were preparing for attack? "We need to hurry then," he said. "I will ask uncle for money so we can buy a high-speed transport."

Wei Ying looked a little panicked. "Jiang Cheng and jiejie are in Lanling right now. If something is happening there, I need to make sure that they're okay."

"We will," Lan Wangji said. “Xichen-ge, we need a favor from you. We need to spread the word about what the Wens are doing.” He handed him some papers. “I have made copies of the details. Give these to Nie Mingjue and the other Companions. Tell them to go to anyone they can and convince them that the Wens want to control everything. Especially alpha women, who were the major forces of resistance in the other world.”

Lan Xichen looked at the papers. “What will this accomplish?” he asked.

“Hopefully something,” Lan Wangji said. “Wei Wuxian said that more resistance would have helped.”

Lan Xichen nodded. “Okay then,” he said. He saw Lan Wangji gathering his notes and said, “Are you leaving now?”

“Yes,” Lan Wangji said. “I will see mother and uncle first.”

Lan Xichen looked like he wanted to stop him, but he didn’t. “Be safe,” he said, looking at both him and Wei Ying.

Wei Ying swallowed his pride and walked up to Lan Xichen. He gave him a quick, tight hug.

"You take care as well, Xichen-ge," he said.

Lan Xichen seemed to relax a little. "Thank you," he said, returning the hug and then letting him go. "I'll take care of what you need here."

"Thank you," Lan Wangji said.

Flight services were expensive. Lan Wangji was suddenly glad that he had had a cheap wedding, because he didn't want to hurt the university's treasury too much right before a war. They visited Lan Qiren and Lan Xia and briefly explained what they were doing. Once they had the money, they returned to their room just long enough to bathe and get fresh clothes and supplies for their journey. Both of them were exhausted, but they were eager to get to Lanling.

This would be the first time Lan Wangji used a flight service. He was nervous as they entered the nearest large city and made their way to the fancy building right on the outskirts.

"Lan Wangji," one of the workers said. He bowed respectfully. Lan Wangji nodded at him. Most of the mages that worked there were graduates from the university.

Lan Wangji went into the building and approached the counter. "We need two seats to Lanling," he said.

"Three hundred and fifty gold," the woman at the counter said.

Lan Wangji took out seven of the small bags of gold and set them on the counter. The woman and another worker started to count, and Lan Wangji wandered over to the open door in the back of the room that led to a courtyard. There were a number of things that he could only call carriages without wheels lined up against the walls. Their fronts were slanted, and they looked to be made out of wood and metal. Lan Wangji took deep breaths.

"I hope we're not too late. I know it was October over there but... I have a bad feeling about this," Wei Ying mumbled.

Wei Ying didn't seem concerned about the flying carriages... Lan Wangji tried to think about Lanling as well.

The workers had apparently finished counting, because two more gestured for them to follow. They approached one of the carriages and held the door open for them. Lan Wangji put their bags inside and then let Wei Ying in before he sat down inside. It was just like a carriage on the inside, other than the slanted front. Four workers climbed in, and another climbed on top. Lan Wangji knew that there was nothing to be afraid of, but he still held onto Wei Ying as the workers used their magic to lift the carriage in the air.

"You ever used a flight service before?" one of the workers asked.

"No, neither of us... but it'll be fine, Lan Wangji!" Wei Ying chirped. He pat Lan Wangji's arm comfortingly.

The workers looked at each other and respectfully didn't say anything about Lan Wangji's anxiety. The carriage started moving and Lan Wangji held onto Wei Ying a little tighter. There weren't any windows, so Lan Wangji couldn't see how fast they were going, but from the feeling of the acceleration, it was an unimaginable speed. He worried about the worker that was on top of the carriage.

"It's going to be a long trip," one of the workers said. "Under your seat are a couple of pillows. We suggest sleeping, if you can. See that lever next to the seat? Pull on that and push on the back of your seat, it'll lay flat.

Lan Wangji looked under the seat and pulled out the pillows. He wasn't sure how easily he could fall asleep knowing that they were at a frightening height and moving faster than he could imagine, but he was exhausted. He pushed the back of their long, bench-like seat until it lay flat.

"Do you want to sleep?" he asked Wei Ying.

"Mmm... I'll sleep a little, I think. Maybe it'll ease some of my nerves about when we get there," Wei Ying said. He shuffled to get comfortable, wrapping himself around Lan Wangji and closing his eyes.

Lan Wangji was surprised that he actually slept the whole time. He truly was worn out from traveling and he needed the rest.

"Second Master Lan," came a voice that woke him up.

Lan Wangji blinked his eyes open and rubbed them, feeling a little groggy.

"We can't go right up to the border," one of the workers was saying. "They're keeping everyone out. We'll stop at a neighboring village, okay?"

Lan Wangji sat up and yawned. "That is fine," he said. "Thank you. When will we get there?"

"Maybe five minutes. Do you have a way to get in?"

Lan Wangji glanced at Wei Ying. "We'll figure it out," he said.

"Do you know what's going on there? Why aren't they letting people in?" Wei Ying asked the worker as he rubbed his eyes.

The worker shrugged. “No idea,” he said. “We got a letter last week saying no more entry. No explanation.”

Wei Ying shot Lan Wangji a concerned expression. The Wens were loud and audacious in many ways. When they came for Lotus Pier, they had made a statement. Perhaps it had nothing to do with them? Only time would tell.

Lan Wangji was relieved when he could feel them gently settle on solid ground. He took their bags and stepped out of the carriage, then bowed to the workers. "Thank you," he said.

"Good luck," one of them said.

Lan Wangji took Wei Ying's hand and they started walking to the border. His legs felt stiff after being still for so long.

Wei Ying still had this unpleasant feeling in his gut. If it was the Wens causing the problems at the border, why had they come so much earlier than in the other world? Something had to be different, something vital. They had originally just wanted to warn the people of Lanling, talk to Jin Zixuan and try to do something about the upcoming war. He squeezed Lan Wangji's hand periodically through the walk.

And eventually, all of those fears came to light when Wei Ying caught the familiar sight of the Wen symbol on the jacket of one of the guards stood at the gates to Lanling. Wei Ying's legs stumbled a little, suddenly losing his footing and grabbing onto Lan Wangji's arm.

"It is the Wens," he said in a hushed whisper. He looked up at Lan Wangji. "What should we do?"

Lan Wangji's blood ran cold. He swallowed and grabbed Wei Ying. He almost suggested they turn around and go back so they could restrategize, but then he saw the soldiers staring at them, then each other. Both of them started to approach.

"Stay behind me," Lan Wangji said.

Wei Ying nodded and shuffled to stand behind Lan Wangji, holding loosely onto his arm now. It didn't even feel too long ago that he had escaped the Wens... would they want to take him again? Lan Wangji wouldn't let that happen.

"Are you Lan Wangji?" one of the soldiers asked.

"I am," Lan Wangji said. He kept his breathing even.

The other soldier gestured to Wei Ying. "Is this your mate?"

"Yes," Lan Wangji said.

"We have orders to bring you to Qishan," the first soldier said.

"May I ask why?" Lan Wangji asked.

"We weren't told why," the solider said. "Will you come willingly, or will we have to do this the hard way?"

Lan Wangji blinked slowly and considered. He could probably kill these soldiers easily. But he could see more soldiers along the border. If Wen Ruohan found out that he had killed one of his men, there would be no reason not to retaliate. Who knew if he wanted to retaliate anyway, since Lan Wangji had castrated his son? Lan Wangji currently had some semblance of peace between himself and Wen Ruohan, and he wanted to keep what little of it there was. If he had to put on an act, then so be it.

"We'll come," he said eventually. "Wei Ying, behave." He lightly squeezed his hand a few times.

"What are you doing in Lanling?" Wei Ying had ignored the command and spoke plainly to the soldier. He held tightly onto Lan Wangji's hand though, eyebrows furrowed.

The soldier in question looked at Wei Ying and then Lan Wangji, his brow raised. Lan Wangji gave Wei Ying an urgent expression.

“Wei Ying,” he said firmly. “Quiet.”

Wei Ying made a slightly distressed noise but shut his mouth. He had never been good at keeping quiet.

The soldiers led them through the gates to Lanling, but they didn't go far. There were some carriages lined up and they approached a smaller one. The trip to Qishan was going to be a couple of days, probably. Lan Wangji despaired. They were in a hurry and he was tired of traveling, even moreso now that they were heading toward some unknown fate.

Once they got into the carriage, one of the soldiers joined them on the other side. Lan Wangji leaned over to Wei Ying and whispered very quietly in his ear, "I will do whatever it takes to protect you. But we need to cooperate. Remember cutting off the rat's leg."

The last part was a reference to the scene they had witnessed almost a month prior, when Lan Zhan had argued with a Wen official about cutting off a piece of a rat's leg without anesthetic -- Wei Wuxian had intervened, commanding Lan Zhan to obey. It wasn't pleasant, but it prevented things from getting worse.

Wei Ying nodded solemnly. He kept hold of Lan Wangji's hand like a safety net. He couldn't imagine what the Wens would do to them but at the very least, he knew that Lan Wangji would not let anything too bad happen.

The trip was agonizing. They didn't even stop to sleep in inns, just choosing to switch drivers instead. When they stopped for food or restroom breaks, they were supervised. Lan Wangji went over what could possibly happen -- there were two main issues. First, he had castrated Wen Chao. Second, Wei Ying had escaped. He imagined that his castrating Wen Chao would be the bigger issue. He decided that whatever happened, he had to keep Wei Ying with him.

Even with as much as he had mentally prepared, Lan Wangji's heart still hammered when they arrived at the Wen estate. He kept an arm around Wei Ying once they stepped out of the carriage and followed the soldiers inside.

All talking amongst Wen Ruohan, Wen Chao, and the servants came to a halt when the soldiers brought Lan Wangji and Wei Ying to the main office in the towering Wen Estate. Wen Chao floundered and immediately rose from his seat to say something but Wen Ruohan pushed him back down. Wen Ruohan dismissed the servants and requested for the soldiers to stay.

"Lan Wangji," he regarded Lan Wangji impassively. "You must imagine my surprise when I got word from my soldiers that you and your very alive mate arrived on our new territory."

"I can easily imagine," Lan Wangji replied. "It does not compare to the surprise I felt when he appeared after my mourning him."

Wen Ruohan hummed. "It seems my son neglected to tell the truth about the omega. However, you must understand that there shall be certain... actions taken for everything that has happened."

Lan Wangji blinked at him. Inside, his heart was pounding, but he kept his cool. He felt like he was on a mission, about to fight to the death against bandits, undead or other enemies. He didn't know what was going to happen. "What I did to Wen Chao was a mistake, but it was not unprompted. At the time, it was a mercy."

"A transgression is still a transgression and alas, the omega escaping from our custody is also worthy of punishment," Wen Ruohan said.

Lan Wangji frowned and looked between Wen Ruohan and Wei Ying. So this was about Wei Ying, then. "He is my mate," he said. "Wen Chao had no claim over him. If he stole a dog from me and the dog ran back to its master's arms, would that be the dog's fault or the thief's?"

Wen Ruohan shook his head as Wei Ying shuffled closer to Lan Wangji.

"You two were not wed when my son took him. Under our law, you had no legal claim over him. He could have been any whore you like to sleep with," he said. He tutted. "This means punishment is still due. His escape also caused the mishap with my son, so he must suffer the consequences."

Lan Wangji narrowed his eyes. "Then take into consideration the fact that we are married now," he said. "He has the hard claim to prove it. I was merciful before, but not this time. He will not take any punishment without my acceptance."

"Whether you are married now or not is irrelevant, you were not when everything happened. A crime is still a crime," Wen Ruohan said.

"It is relevant," Lan Wangji said. "If he requires punishment, fine. But he is mine now. I will decide what others can do to him."

Wen Ruohan sighed and sat back in his chair.

"Father, you aren't going to let him get away with this?" Wen Chao sounded scandalised. He pointed at Wei Ying. "That little slut deserves to be-"

"Chao-er," Wen Ruohan interrupted him. "The man is right. Lan Wangji owns the omega now so he does have a say in it, even if punishment is still required." He looked at Lan Wangji. "Tell me then, would you rather administer your omega's punishment yourself then? Or leave it in our hands?"

"I will do it," Lan Wangji said automatically.

"Lan Wangji-" Wei Ying started in a mild panic.

"Very well," Wen Ruohan said, rising from his seat. "The dungeons shall be an appropriate place. Soldiers, escort these two down there. Chao-er, you may walk with me."

Lan Wangji considered whether to refuse. If they brought him to the dungeon, it would be harder to escape if he had to. But here wasn't easy either. They certainly wouldn't lock the dungeons from the outside, not with Wen Ruohan inside. Should he run? If he did, could they make it? What would Wen Ruohan do in retaliation? In the back of his mind he imagined Wei Wuxian tearing Yu Ziyuan’s throat out with his teeth. He didn’t know if playing the part of an uncaring but possessive alpha was going to work, but it had last time. He put his arm around Wei Ying and followed the soldiers.

Wen Ruohan took everyone to a private room in the dungeons.

"I will do you a mercy in letting you decide on the punishment, Lan Wangji. Either you allow your omega to service my son and my men, which would be the usual punishment for such crimes, or you may administer lashes," he said.

Lan Wangji didn't give any thought to what servicing might include. "With a whip?" he asked.

"Yes. Thirty lashes should do, alternating between his back and buttocks," Wen Ruohan said, waving for one of the soldiers to retrieve the whip.

"I will not permanently disable him," Lan Wangji said.

Wen Ruohan hummed. "A switch then, but only for fifteen."

Lan Wangji considered whether to have Wei Ying take off his clothes. They would most likely want him to, and since Wen Ruohan specified the buttocks they might even ask for that to be bare as well. Lan Wangji didn't want to argue too much and seem more uncooperative than he was, so he took the initiative to take off Wei Ying’s jacket.

He avoided looking at his mate. Whether they made it out was dependent on how well he performed. He had to keep his emotions out of it, and only think of how to get out with the least amount of trouble. His emotions could wait.

Wei Ying allowed Lan Wangji to remove his outer layer even though his fingers were shaking.

"I... Lan Wangji, I'm scared," he whispered.

Wen Ruohan had his soldiers retrieve the switch and he tested it by hitting against his palm a few times.

"Take all his clothes off," he ordered.

"He will keep his underwear on," Lan Wangji said. "Excuse me if I am hesitant to fully expose my omega to a room full of alphas." He untied Wei Ying's pants.

"Fine," Wen Ruohan said.

"Just make sure we can see! The gentler you are with that little whore, the longer this'll go on," Wen Chao chipped in, raking his eyes over each and every piece of Wei Ying's exposed skin as it was revealed.

Lan Wangji resisted the urge to retort. He had already gotten enough revenge on Wen Chao. He pulled down Wei Ying's pants, though he kept them around his calves. "On your knees," he said quietly, pulling Wei Ying's hair around to his front.

Wei Ying was the focus of the room as he slowly sunk down to his knees, his head bowed.

"That's his rightful place," Wen Chao sneered.

"Quiet, Chao-er," Wen Ruohan said as he handed Lan Wangji the switch.

Lan Wangji took the switch and swung it in the air a few times to get a feel for it. It wasn't thin and it was smooth, so it probably wouldn't break the skin too quickly. That was good. He approached Wei Ying and took a subtle deep breath. He steeled himself. _It will be easy. Do it hard enough to impress them and you can leave. Don’t feel anything, just do it._

The first one landed on the right side of his upper back. It hit with a loud, echoing _whap_ and left a red mark within seconds. Lan Wangji really didn't have to put much effort into it. He was used to slicing people and creatures in half with Bichen. _One_. He aimed the other for the other side of his back. _Two_. The next landed on his rear. _Three_.

Upon the first hit, Wei Ying let out a cry. He quickly bit his lips and scrunched his eyes shut, his fingers curled into fists on his lap as he was thrust forwards with each strike. It stung and the longer it went on, the more Wei Ying began to cry and whimper. He tried his best to conceal it but there was only so much he could do.

Wen Chao watched with particularly rapt attention, the scent of aroused alpha filling the air and only serving to make Wei Ying more uncomfortable.

Lan Wangji was _almost_ affected by it. He almost thought, _how dare he--_ but it was lost before it could fully form. He strategically emptied his mind, focusing only on the counting and varying his strikes. He watched where the bruising started and moved to other areas, trying to get it as evenly spaced as possible. But even though he did that, he still put enough force in it to do visible damage.

He stopped after fifteen, though he didn't take his eyes off of Wei Ying's back. "I understand you enjoy this," he said, aiming his words at Wen Chao and everyone else in the room. "But come near to my omega and you will get hit." Only then did he turn to stare at Wen Chao.

"Don't fucking talk to me like that. You should count yourself lucky that father didn't whore out your omega's precious little wet cunt to every alpha in this estate after what you did to me," Wen Chao retorted.

"Every alpha minus you, of course," Lan Wangji said emotionlessly. He looked at Wen Ruohan. "Is it time for the whip?" he asked.

"Fuck you! If it were my decision, I'd have you chained up while we give your whore one of our heat inducers. Our men would fuck his little cunt until he was pregnant and you would watch. You can take away your little used fuck toy and keep him til he gives birth to a Wen and you will always know-" Wen Chao replied.

"Alright Chao-er, that's quite enough now," Wen Ruohan interrupted him. He took the switch from Lan Wangji and handed him the whip.

Wei Ying let out a small pitiful sob, trying to block out everything around him.

Lan Wangji also didn't listen to the words. He took the whip and inspected it. It was about as thick as the switch, but it was made of braided leather, was more flexible, and also longer. Also, the end had several leather strings hanging off of it, and he could see pieces of stone tied to the ends of some of them. _Just get it over with. You're halfway done._

There weren't any unharmed spots on Wei Ying's back. From his shoulders to his sides and across his back were bruises of all colors. The whip wasn't going to be nice anywhere. He went back to Wei Ying and lifted his arm then swung it. The crack wasn't as loud as he had thought it would be, but he had never seen a whip like this used before. He gave three strikes in concession, and after the third it started to cut, even though he varied the locations.

Blood dribbled from Wei Ying's bottom lip from how hard he was biting it to keep in the noises of distress. Tears dripped off his chin as his body burned under the watchful gaze of the Wens around him. He didn't know if it hurt worse to know it was coming from Lan Wangji, from his mate.

Lan Wangji counted to fifteen. He watched the blood drip down Wei Ying's back and he barely processed any of it. He felt numb, emotionally and physically too. And yet he was also strung tight, hyperaware of the alphas around him, the smell of arousal and blood that filled the air. After the fifteenth strike he went still, waiting for Wen Ruohan's instruction.

"Lift or pull down the underwear to show the damage on his backside," Wen Ruohan said casually.

Lan Wangji considered how he could refuse. He couldn't really think clearly. His mind was frazzled. "Not while your son is in the room," he said.

"Father," Wen Chao complained.

Wen Ruohan sighed and shooed Wen Chao. "Leave the room."

Wen Chao grimaced. Against his better judgement, he grabbed Wei Ying by the hair and spat on his face, making him jump. He knew what he'd done so he quickly tried to leave the room after.

He didn't get more than one step away before Lan Wangji's fist hit the side of his head. It was hard enough to knock him right to the ground, and Lan Wangji marginally worried that he had killed him. He really hadn't thought about it, it had been an automatic reaction.

Just to make sure Wen Ruohan knew, he said, "I told everyone what would happen if they came near him. Not my fault."

"Pick yourself up, Chao-er. You're being a nuisance, get out," Wen Ruohan said with a sigh. He pinched the bridge of his nose.

Wen Chao hissed and scrambled back to his feet, wobbling and cradling his wounded head and hurried out of the room.

Lan Wangji breathed a sigh of relief when Wen Chao got up. If he really had killed him, things would be exponentially more difficult. Once Wen Chao was gone, he reached over and pulled Wei Ying's underwear down just enough to sit under his rear. He looked away, not wanting to see it.

This was pushing what he was capable of; even if Wen Chao wasn't in the room, there were two soldiers and Wen Ruohan. He looked to make sure Wen Ruohan had seen it, then he pulled the underwear back up.

Wei Ying shuddered and tucked his hands between his legs, his face burning with shame. Everything hurt, he could feel the blood dripping down his back.

"Good enough," Wen Ruohan said as he took the whip from Lan Wangji. "Consider the punishment over and done with. The soldiers will escort you two out and back to your destination. You will permitted to enter Lanling but I do not want to hear anything from you two. Keep your omega in line, understand?"

Lan Wangji pulled Wei Ying's pants back up and tied them too quickly, then tossed the rest of his clothes back at him, unable to finish the job while staying emotionally detached. He looked at Wen Ruohan and forced himself to bow to him. "Understood," he said. "The negotiation was appreciated."

Wen Ruohan made a grunt of acknowledgment before gesturing for the soldiers to escort Wei Ying and Lan Wangji out of the estate.

Wei Ying struggled to stand up properly. His hands were shaking violently and the idea of putting his robes on over the top of his bleeding back sounded unpleasant. The material would stick to the wounds, the blood would dry to it, but he knew that he couldn't leave as an omega without anything covering his top half so he reluctantly made an attempt to shrug on one layer and tied it loosely.

Once he had that one layer on, Lan Wangji took his jacket and picked him up. He placed him over his shoulder and kept a hand on his side to keep him from sliding off, and the other hand held his thighs. He followed the soldiers out of the dungeon, and when he saw Wen Chao again he stared him down, challenging.

Wen Chao looked away like a scolded dog and said nothing. Wei Ying simply held onto Lan Wangji and buried his face against his body.

Lan Wangji stayed vigilant until they were well off of the estate. The soldiers left them at the gates and Lan Wangji walked in the direction where he knew a village was located. Not even five minutes out of the gates, he came across a small group of men, one of whom had a horse.

"I need your horse," he said.

The men looked at him in bewilderment and then anger. But even though there were three of them on the ground and they were all alphas, they were considerably smaller than Lan Wangji and not fighters either. They took one look at his hardened expression, his bulging muscles, and the load he carried including two bags, a massive greatsword and a bloody omega, and they decided not to start a fight.

The one on the horse was a little slower to catch up. "Wait, seriously?" he asked. Lan Wangji approached and went to grab the man and pull him off, but he quickly scrambled to get off himself. "Woah, woah! Okay! I'm getting off!"

Lan Wangji put Wei Ying on the horse in front of the saddle and climbed up behind him. He used one hand to gather the reigns and the other stabilized Wei Ying, then he set off. It was going to be uncomfortable on Wei Ying's body, but he needed to get to an inn quickly, and maybe a healer if there were any. It was better than walking for hours.

For once, Wei Ying was silent. He made not a single peep through the entire journey, simply holding on as best he could.

What would usually take multiple hours only took less than one. Lan Wangji slowed the horse to a walk when they got to the village, and he called out, "Is there a healer here?"

The citizens on the street all turned to look at him. Only one answered, "Not anymore."

Lan Wangji replied, "Is there an inn?"

"That building over there.”

Lan Wangji pushed the horse into a trot and then abandoned it beside the inn. It wasn't sunset yet, but the sun was lowering in the sky as he walked inside, Wei Ying once again on his shoulder. "I need a room," he said before he got to the counter. "I'll pay in the morning."

The innkeeper took one look at him and quickly grabbed a key and rushed down a hallway. He held open a door and Lan Wangji walked in without saying anything. The innkeeper only peeped out a price Lan Wangji didn't listen to before he left them inside.

Lan Wangji set Wei Ying down on the floor and then tossed the rest of the belongings down. Then he went into a corner of the room and slid down the wall. He was still numb, and now that he wasn't carrying anything or walking, his eyes went out of focus and he only moved to blink.

Wei Ying's whole body thrummed with pain. His fingers were still trembling uncontrollably as he untied his bloody robes and left them in a heap on the floor. It was times like these that he was grateful that he'd been forced to learn healing magic. He summoned all of his energy to begin healing his wounds. They gradually closed and the pain had faded into a dull roar. It was good enough. He slowly pushed himself up, stumbling a little.

"I... I'm going to take a bath," he said in a hoarse voice. It was the first thing he'd said since everything started. "Will you... help me wash my back?"

Lan Wangji heard him, but only vaguely. It was like he was talking to someone else in a different room. He didn't even try to bring his eyes back into focus.

Wei Ying approached Lan Wangji and crouched before him. He reached out to gently hold his hands. "... Lan Wangji?"

It took a minute. Lan Wangji registered that he was there and that he was touching him, but it was on a delay. He blinked hard, then turned his head toward Wei Ying. He blinked again, then finally his eyes focused on him.

And that was all it took. He still wasn't fully back in himself yet, he didn't feel anything even as dry sobs wracked his body for a second. He sat up a little as disorientation and confusion set in, and he alternated between silent pauses and more dry sobs.

Wei Ying wrapped his arms around Lan Wangji when he started to sob, burying his face against the crook of his neck.

Eventually, the emotions hit him in full. Tears blurred Lan Wangji's vision and fell hot against his cheeks and his sobs increased in power. He couldn't breathe, but he didn't focus on that. He looked at his hands, and he could still feel the whip in his right as if he were still holding it. The memories came back to him: the sounds Wei Ying had made, the way his back had looked progressively worse and worse, the things Wen Chao had said. The things he had said.

"Lan Wangji... Lan Wangji..." Wei Ying whispered. He could feel tears clinging to his own eyelashes. He squeezed his mate harder. "I love you. I love you so much, you're my soulmate. It's okay."

Lan Wangji remembered stripping Wei Ying's clothes, telling him to get on his knees. It wasn't okay. None of it was okay, and the fact that Wei Ying felt the need to comfort him seemed to make it worse.

He remembered pinning Lan Zhan to the wall and holding him by the neck hard enough to leave a mark, squeezing his wrists hard enough to leave bruises as bad as he'd given Wei Ying. He fell onto his side and curled up into himself, holding his hands to his chest.

Wei Ying followed him down, wrapping himself around him and crying openly now.

"Lan Wangji, please... please, I need you right now," he mumbled.

Lan Wangji frantically shook his head and curled tighter. "I c--" he tried, but he couldn't speak. He couldn't look at Wei Ying and he didn't trust himself to touch him either. He was hyperaware of his body and his strength. "I c-can't--"

That made Wei Ying sob. He slowly pulled away from Lan Wangji, finding no comfort from him, and rubbed at his eyes to no avail.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. He staggered to the bath and stripped down. Once he submerged himself in the water, he held himself in the embrace of the soft heat he'd made and cried silently.

Lan Wangji stayed where he was and cried for a long time. After a while his tears stopped and he stared at the floor for an unknown amount of time while he dissociated, only for it to come back to him and cause him to start sobbing once more. Eventually he turned to face the wall and curled into an even tighter ball, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Wei Ying remained in the water until his skin wrinkled. He had to push himself out with the little energy he had left and made the effort to pump a little more healing magic into himself so that the wounds on his back didn't scar as noticeably. After that, he dried off and dressed in a light, inner robe to sleep in.

He padded over to Lan Wangji and slipped his hands over the back of his shoulders, then pressed a soft kiss to the back of his head.

"I love you, Lan Wangji, and I forgive you..." he mumbled tiredly. "Please come to bed soon. I need you."

With that, he pulled away slowly. Wei Ying rubbed at his eyes again, willing himself not to cry more, and walked over to the inn bed. He curled up under the covers, his heart pounding and his throat aching.

About five minutes later, Lan Wangji slowly pushed himself up to his hands and knees. He felt like a wreck, but the dissociation and panic had faded at least. He got to his feet and numbly went to sit on the bed, then took his boots off. He was gross and needed a bath, but he didn't have the energy. He stared at Wei Ying's form under the covers. Hesitantly, he reached out, but he stopped before touching him. He was so much smaller than him, so breakable. It scared him.

Wei Ying looked up at him and watched his expression as he took his hand and put it on his cheek, then leaned into the touch.

"It's okay. Please," he said.

Tears filled Lan Wangji's eyes again and he blinked and pushed them out. His hand shook and he pulled it away, but brought it back a few seconds later. He touched Wei Ying's skin with a feather-light touch.

"How can you--" He choked up and it cut off his words.

"Because I love you," Wei Ying replied brokenly. He sniffled and held desperately onto Lan Wangji's hand.

Lan Wangji put his over hand over his mouth and sobbed into it. He felt like he was going to fall into pieces at any second. It was the same ugly crying that he’d been doing for hours now, full of hiccups and wet sniffing. He hated that Wei Ying had to see him like this, but he supposed it wasn’t any worse than what he had seen earlier that day.

"Please... come to bed with me. Hold me. I need... I need to know it's still you in there," Wei Ying whispered.

Lan Wangji shook his head. Once he had some semblance of control over his vocal chords he said in a wavering voice, “This is me, Wei Ying. The one who did that today was me.”

"I know, I know, I just..." Wei Ying started but then he began to openly weep again. His fingers shook as they desperately held onto Lan Wangji's hand. "I need a reminder that you... y-you can... please, Lan Wangji, I need you with me..."

Lan Wangji lay back on the bed and cried into his sleeve. He didn’t know if he could be what Wei Ying needed. He was messed up inside; this had broken him. He wanted to run away and find a place to be alone, but he wasn’t going to leave Wei Ying.

Really, he wanted to go back to the other world. He wanted Wei Wuxian to growl at him, he wanted Lan Zhan to insult him. Someone other than Wei Ying, who was his victim.

But really, would Lan Zhan even be mad? He had relished in the bruises Lan Wangji had given him, he had purposefully kept them. He would enjoy hearing about this, wouldn’t he?

Wei Ying turned onto his side and curled up against Lan Wangji. He held onto him and cried silently against him.

After a few minutes, Lan Wangji stopped crying again. He stared at the ceiling and sat in his misery. He wanted to comfort Wei Ying, but it felt morally wrong. How could he apologize? How could he ask for forgiveness? It hadn’t been a consensual act. It wasn’t as if he could say he wouldn’t do it again — he probably would, if he were put in that exact position again. Whether he would be able to do it again was a different story.

“It feels wrong to say sorry,” he whispered.

"You don't have to... I know that there was nothing else that you could've done and... I'm okay," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji grimaced and shook his head. “No, you’re not,” he whispered. “How could you be?”

Wei Ying reached to rub at his eyes and tear-stricken face. He sniffled.

"What do you want me to say then?" he whispered.

Lan Wangji shook his head. He wanted Wei Ying to yell at him or express some kind of disappointment — but that wasn’t like him. He would forgive Lan Wangji because he was a selfless person. He could go bother Lan Zhan with it when they went back if he wanted to work through it. It wasn’t Wei Ying’s responsibility.

“I don’t want you to say anything if it’s to make me feel better,” he said quietly.

"Fine! Fine," Wei Ying said. He shot up in the bed, his robes sliding down his shoulder as he balanced himself with his hands on Lan Wangji's chest. He sniffled again. "It's not okay! The f-fact that the Wens even make people do that isn't okay. But I still forgive you even if it scares me. It doesn't make you a monster. You're capable of these things but it... if you were some kind of terrible person you wouldn't have been on the floor crying about what you did. We... did what we had to do, you did what you had to do, to survive, to protect me, e-even if it meant... that. I love you, Lan Wangji, I love you so much. I wouldn't change anything about you."

Lan Wangji started crying again. He put his hands over his face and sobbed, though it felt different this time. After a moment he reached up and pulled Wei Ying down to lay on his chest, then cried against his shoulder.

"I thought they were going to take you from me," he choked out.

"They didn't take me. You have me, I am yours and I always will be," Wei Ying mumbled, wrapping his arms around him. His crying slowly faded out and he let out a soft purr, happy to be properly wrapped in his alpha's arms again.

Lan Wangji kept crying. It wasn't the same desperate sobbing as before, but something more pitiful. He held onto Wei Ying and cried on him for who knew how long, until he was too exhausted to cry anymore. He took a few slow yet shallow breaths, his jaw aching badly. "I'm sorry that I've... been this way," he said.

"I forgive you. This is hard for both of us and... I just want you to hold me, if you can," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji nodded. He shifted a little and put Wei Ying on the left side of his chest so he could more comfortably hold him. "Is your back tender at all?" he asked.

"A little... I did my best to heal it but it's more difficult when it's somewhere I can't see... It'll probably scar a bit but it's okay," Wei Ying said.

"I can take you to a healer," Lan Wangji said.

Wei Ying nodded and then went quiet. He listened to the rhythmic thumping of Lan Wangji's heartbeat and took a deep breath before he looked up at him again.

"Will you kiss me?" he asked.

Lan Wangji looked at him for a moment, then pulled him in a little so he could give him a long, savored kiss. Then he lay his head back down and looked at Wei Ying's face, from his puffy red eyes to his raw cheeks. He knew he looked similarly messed up. "I love you," he whispered.

Wei Ying's lips cracked into the first smile in a while.

"I love you too," he said.

Lan Wangji reached up and took off his forehead ribbon, then untied his hair. "I know I smell bad," he said. "I will change clothes."

Wei Ying shuffled so that Lan Wangji could get up to change. He laid back down on top of the covers and watched him.

"You're still the most handsome man I know," he said.

Lan Wangji went to the washbasin and used the washcloth to rub down his upper half, then he washed his face and brushed his hair. He smelled somewhat better after that. He put on some pajamas and returned to Wei Ying on the bed, this time getting under the covers. He felt a lot better, if a bit raw.

In a spur of the moment decision, Wei Ying untied the sash holding together his robes and let it hang over his shoulders, completely naked underneath as he sat before Lan Wangji.

"Aren't you going to tell me I'm pretty?" he asked.

Lan Wangji admired him, then he pulled him onto the bed so he could crawl over him and shield him. Such a protective position helped ease his mind a little. "You're beautiful," he whispered.

Wei Ying looked flustered at the honest praise, despite inviting it. He wrapped his arms around his neck, heart pounding.

"... Will you touch me? Touch Wei Ying?" he whispered back.

Lan Wangji bit his lip and then carefully placed a hand on Wei Ying's collarbone. "Are you sure that you want these hands on your body after what they did to it?" The question was half for himself.

"Yes," Wei Ying answered confidently. He met Lan Wangji's gaze. "There is no one else I would ever want. I would always it rather be your hands, in anything."

Lan Wangji thought that he had shed every tear he was capable of already, but his eyes proved him wrong. He wiped the tears and sniffed, then leaned down to kiss him. He didn't deserve Wei Ying. But he had him, and he was going to appreciate that with everything he had. It was a drop in the ocean, but perhaps over time he could give Wei Ying enough pleasure with his hands to make up for the pain they had given him.

He kissed down Wei Ying's neck and ran his hand down his body slowly. He paid attention to every curve and dip, every bump and mark. More tears fell from his eyes, but they weren't tears of sadness this time.

Wei Ying's breath hitched and he watched Lan Wangji with rapt attention. This was everything he'd hoped for.

"Thank you," he mumbled.

Lan Wangji's hand slid between his legs and traced lightly over his length. Then he pulled his hand away as a distasteful thought occurred to him.

"Wei Ying..." He shifted a bit and sniffed. "I'm sorry, about... I let that demon touch you, spit on you. I should have reacted faster."

"He got what he deserved... things could've been a lot worse but they weren't. They weren't because you were protecting me," Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji slowly ran a hand through Wei Ying's hair and leaned down to press a long kiss to his forehead. He bore through another set of tears, then started to rub his wrist over Wei Ying's head to scent him. "I will always protect you," he whispered. "As much as I can."

Wei Ying took hold of the hand that scented him and kissed the inside of his wrist. He smiled softly.

"I know," he mumbled.

Lan Wangji sniffed and rubbed his eyes on his sleeve. "I love you so much," he whispered quietly, as if it was him thinking out loud. He kissed down Wei Ying's neck and once again took his hand down his body and settled between his legs. "What do you want for the first one?" he asked.

"Just... your fingers, please..." Wei Ying said softly. He arched into his touch, his breath heavy.

Lan Wangji hummed. He wrapped his fingers around Wei Ying's shaft and thumbed at the head, enjoying how it hardened in his hand. Then he remembered how the whip felt in his hand earlier, and he took a deep breath. It's over. Stop thinking about it.

Wei Ying let out a soft whine, his cock twitching the more Lan Wangji touched him. He leaned his head back, happy to be touched in such a gentle way after everything that has happened today.

Lan Wangji placed a kiss on Wei Ying's collarbone and moved his hand to press a finger inside him. He curled it up at the spot he was so familiar with, rubbing back and forth. "Do you want me to use my mouth too?" he asked.

Wei Ying considered it for a moment and then nodded.

"Please..." he whispered.

Lan Wangji moved down and took Wei Ying's cock in his mouth. He sucked on it while he rubbed his fingers back and forth inside him for a couple of minutes, then after a little while he started bobbing his head up and down. Just to encourage him more, he started thrusting his fingers in and out rapidly.

Wei Ying moaned and his eyelashes fluttered. He ran his fingers through Lan Wangji's hair and pulled lightly.

"Oh Gods... Mmm... You're so good to me..." he said.

Lan Wangji crooned, letting the vibrations run through his mouth. He added a third finger and tilted them upwards.

"Ah... yes..." Wei Ying rasped. He could already feel himself teetering on the edge. It didn't take him too long to cum when Lan Wangji was doing those things. He spilt into Lan Wangji's mouth with a cry.

Lan Wangji pulled off and swallowed. He took out his fingers and sucked on them while his croon slowly faded. He moved back up to kiss Wei Ying and caressed his cheek. They hadn’t had as much sex as they did before, due to all of the traveling. It was nice to have this intimacy.

Wei Ying let out a deep breath once they parted from the kiss. He smiled and purred.

Lan Wangji dragged his lip through his teeth. "I love you," he breathed.

"I love you too, I love you so much..." Wei Ying replied. He flopped down on the bed and sighed. "Hold me."

Lan Wangji gathered Wei Ying in his arms and rolled onto his back. He was beyond exhausted now. He used a spell to put out the lamps and closed his eyes.

"Thank you... I know that today has been a lot but... I love you all the same..." Wei Ying slurred tiredly.

Lan Wangji turned his head and kissed his nose. He didn't want to think about it anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Detailed TW: In Qishan, Wei Ying must be punished for escaping after the burning of Lotus Pier. Lan Wangji is given the option of letting Wen Ruohan's soldiers rape him or whipping him himself. He chooses to whip him. There is lots of blood, and Lan Wangji is forced to strip Wei Ying to show Wen Ruohan the aftermath. Wen Chao makes graphic and aggressive sexual commentary.


	7. Belly of the Beast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Wangji was forced to punish Wei Ying for escaping from Wen Chao.
> 
> This chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying get more information. Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian go right into the heart of Qishan and meet a certain doctor who might be able to help them.

Of course, the bliss didn't last until morning. Lan Wangji woke up with Wei Ying in his arms and he had a few seconds of happiness before the memories of the day before came back. He looked at Wei Ying's naked body and thought about how he had all but bared him to a room full of alphas without his consent -- he carefully put Wei Ying back on the bed and moved away. He sat on the edge of the bed, feeling wretched. That was going to sit with him for a long time.

The movement had Wei Ying stirring in the bed. He grumbled and sought out the weight that had been beside him and was dissatisfied to find that his mate was gone.

"Lan Wangji..." he mumbled.

Lan Wangji grimaced. He stood up and went to his bags so he could get his clothes for the day. He noticed the bathwater from the night before, and it was tinted from the blood of Wei Ying's wounds. _That's what you did to him,_ his mind taunted. He went to the washbasin to get ready.

Wei Ying rolled around in the bed, trying to fall back asleep and nuzzling into the sheets for some kind of comfort. However, he was finding it hard without the presence of his mate.

"Lan Wangjiiiii," he whined again.

Lan Wangji ignored it and continued getting ready. He was distressed, and he didn’t want to bother Wei Ying with it. He left the room briefly to ask whoever was working this early to bring breakfast to their room, then he returned and started counting out money to pay for everything.

Finally, he returned to the bed and sat down. “Wei Ying,” he said. “We need to leave soon.”

Wei Ying huffed and slowly pushed himself out of bed with a small wince. He shuffled to dress himself properly and then leaned over to steal a kiss from Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji stole another one and watched him get ready. A little while later, there was a knock on the door. Lan Wangji opened it and let the worker come in to lay out their food. He handed him some money before he left, which made the man look much less tired.

“We need to head towards Lanling today,” Lan Wangji said as he sat down at the table to eat. “We will find a healer on the way.”

"Okay," Wei Ying replied. He stretched and wrapped himself around Lan Wangji's arm as they walked out.

Lan Wangji was quiet for the trip, even moreso than usual. He made no comment when the healer inspected Wei Ying's back and looked at him. The most he spoke was when he stopped at one of the Wen offices and requested official papers for Wei Ying.

"I need papers for my omega," he said at the desk.

“Twenty c—“ The Wen officials looked between each other. "You're that Lan, right?" the one sitting down said.

Lan Wangji nodded and got out the money. "We have already been to the estate," he said. "He's had his punishment. Now I'd like to get papers for him."

"Does he still have the marks?" the other one asked.

"No," Lan Wangji said. "I took him to a healer. There is just faint scarring now." He looked pointedly at the man, making it clear that he had no interest in showing him.

"What's your claim?" asked the one sitting down. He was writing on a piece of paper now.

"We were married at the Lan University in Gusu on August 2nd," Lan Wangji said. "I gave him a hard claim the same day."

The official finished writing the paper and folded it up and put it in an envelope. "I suggest getting him a collar," he said. "If he gets away from you, the hard claim might not be enough."

Lan Wangji's heart hammered. He had been nervous about this. "What do you mean?" he asked.

The other official went to a stack of boxes and got a collar and brought it back. He handed it to Lan Wangji and dropped two metal disks in his hand as well. "Carve your name on this," he said. "It's got the symbol on it already. Another one in case you lose it."

Lan Wangji inspected the collar. It wasn't like the one they had put on Wei Ying before. The leather was thinner and more flexible, and had cloth lining on the inside. There was no lock on it, and he couldn't feel any magic in it. "Thank you," he said. He took the envelope and then took Wei Ying's hand and led him out of the building.

Wei Ying didn't like the idea of being collared again, it reminded him of his time being trapped under Wen Chao's gaze and wandering hand. However, he knew it was necessary for them to get around safely. He looked up at Lan Wangji as they walked out of the building.

Lan Wangji put the envelope and the collar in his bag, not looking at him. He didn’t carve his name in it until they stopped to sleep that evening.

It took two days in total to get to Lanling, and it was right before they left the nearest village that he stopped and pulled out the collar with the carved tag attached. “I think you should wear this,” he said. “Just while we are here.”

"I know...I should," Wei Ying said. He took a deep breath and took the collar from Lan Wangji. For a moment, he just looked at it before he hooked it around his neck. He looked up at Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji stared at it and sighed. If it weren’t for the meaning behind it, it would look good on him. He took Wei Ying’s hand and headed for the gates.

The soldiers watched as they approached, and Lan Wangji took out the paper Wen Ruohan had given him and handed it over. The soldier only nodded and stepped aside, and they went inside.

Lanling was a beautiful and wealthy place, and it was more strictly ruled by the leading family than the other regions. This was why the entire region was protected by a wall rather than the individual cities. The fact that the Jins surrendering led the rest of the kingdom to do so in the other world wasn’t surprising. They held a lot of power.

And apparently, they had already surrendered here, over a month and a half early. Something was definitely wrong.

Lan Wangji put Wei Ying back on the horse and climbed up behind him. The men he had stolen the horse from hadn’t claimed it by the time they left the inn in the morning, so he had decided to claim it for himself instead.

“How far is Koi Tower from here?” he asked.

"Keep going this way for another five minutes and then you can't miss it," Wei Ying said. He couldn't wait to see Jiang Wanyin and Jiang Yanli again, hopefully they were doing okay given the circumstances.

_Ah,_ so it was close then. Lan Wangji pushed the horse into a canter and they rode into the city. Once he crossed the top of a hill and started going down, he saw it. Koi Tower was huge, and right in the middle of the city. People jumped to the side as they rode through the streets.

There was a stable just outside the gates and they left the horse there and went inside. The garden was absolutely gorgeous with the plants and streams organized throughout. Some peacocks walked around, fitting nicely into the scenery.

“Where do you think they are?” he asked Wei Ying.

Wei Ying looked around and thumbed at his collar. It was all exactly as he remembered it but something felt wrong. Of course, it probably had something to do with the Wens taking over.

"Follow me," Wei Ying said. He led him into Koi Tower and some of the servants greeted him fondly. When he asked him where the Jiangs were, they took him to one of the kitchens where Jiang Wanyin was assisting Jiang Yanli cook.

"A-Ying?" Jiang Yanli asked. She dropped her utensils to embrace Wei Ying. He couldn't help but laugh and hug her back.

When they parted, Wei Ying noticed the collar around her neck and his heart sunk a little. Jiang Wanyin's eyes darted from Wei Ying to Lan Wangji.

"What brings you both here?" he asked.

"We need to talk," Lan Wangji said. "We came to... discuss the situation with you and your husband, but... I think we are too late."

"The Wens have already come if that is what you mean. They did not stop at Lotus Pier," Jiang Wanyin said between gritted teeth.

Wei Ying pressed his lips tightly together. "About that. We need to talk about it. Jiejie, is there somewhere we could go?"

Jiang Yanli nodded. "Let me put the pot on simmer and then we'll go upstairs."

Lan Wangji watched Jiang Wanyin warily. He remembered talking to the other Jiang Wanyin _. If he really is me, I trust him to make the right decisions._ Maybe his advice wouldn't have helped anyway. How much has changed in this world?

Jiang Yanli did as she said she would and put the pot she was cooking with on simmer and then guided the group upstairs to one of the master bedrooms. She sat down on the bed and gestured for everyone else to take a seat around.

"Alright, spill. What's going on?" Jiang Wanyin said.

Wei Ying took a deep breath. "We were hoping to warn you that this was going to happen."

"What?" Jiang Wanyin hissed. "You knew?"

"A-Cheng..." Jiang Yanli sighed.

Wei Ying shot Lan Wangji an anxious look. "It's complicated."

“We took a high speed transport,” Lan Wangji said. “But we were stopped at the gates and taken to Qishan. By then it was already too late. When did this happen? Did the family surrender?”

Jiang Wanyin looked troubled but before he could open his mouth to speak, Jiang Yanli silenced him.

"Jin Guangshan was not opposed to the idea of building an omega facility, like they wanted to do in Yunmeng. We don't know what exactly was said or what they offered up but Jin Guangshan folded pretty quickly..." she said.

Lan Wangji bit his lip and looked at Wei Ying, then he started digging through his bag to get to his notes. He would take it upon himself to explain.

“That amulet Wei Ying took from the Wen estate is more than it looks,” he said. “When an alpha and an omega put magic into it at the same time, they are both transported to a world that is just like ours, except... well, when we did it, it took us to a world where only some things are different. Most importantly, it is three years in the future. Wei Ying and I used a ritual to travel to that world in person, and we spoke to some of the people there and asked about the war. In that world, the Jins surrendered on October 17th, and the other regions followed gradually after that. It is only August 30th here. So something vital is different. I’m afraid that other world won’t be as useful as we had hoped.”

"You're telling us that the Wens get what they want? They take over this kingdom?" Jiang Wanyin asked in a heated tone.

Wei Ying nodded sadly. "There are tough rules in place, restrictions for omegas... every one of them must be owned."

“Is there a way we can speak to Jin Zixuan?” Lan Wangji asked. “Will he be able to speak freely about what happened?”

"I will speak to him tonight. He is out with his father right now and won't be back until dinner," Jiang Yanli replied. "I know he will be willing to speak to you, it's just doing it privately."

Lan Wangji sighed and looked at Wei Ying. “What do you think we should do?” he asked.

"We'll just have to wait until tomorrow to get the full details of everything. It's not like we're doing anything wrong by being here, we look the part, you signed the papers-- Ah! Jiejie, what happened with you and the peacock? I saw the collar but the ownership papers require that you..." Wei Ying said.

Jiang Yanli smiled sadly. "We had to get married quickly. You weren't anywhere to be found and there wouldn't have been the time for you to come anyway... sorry A-Ying. We want to have a proper wedding another time anyway."

"Oh," Wei Ying replied. He swallowed down the lump in his throat. "I'm sorry I couldn't..."

"It's okay."

Lan Wangji looked down at his notes with a furrowed brow. He felt helpless. Was there anything he could do now? Where were the Wens going next? Even if he tried to do something, would Wei Ying be put in danger? "Should we stay in here until Jin Zixuan's return?" he asked.

"Perhaps go out for dinner and come back this evening?" Jiang Yanli suggested.

Lan Wangji nodded. He took a few things they would need from his bag and put them in a smaller one he could carry, then waited for Wei Ying to join him. He tried not to look as morose as he felt.

"Before you go," Jiang Wanyin cut in as Wei Ying stood up. "Is there anything else we should know about what's going to happen with the Wens? About... the stuff you saw?"

Lan Wangji paused. "Gusu was the last to be taken," he said. "Apparently, the university gathered an army of current and former students to prepare for an attack, but there was none. Two years after the attack on Lotus Pier, the king mandated that the university and Gusu surrender."

Jiang Wanyin nodded and clenched his fists. "I see."

"We'll see you both later!" Wei Ying chirped. He bowed towards Jiang Yanli and Jiang Wanyin and then walked out of Koi Tower with Lan Wangji.

Jin Zixuan prided himself on being able to act pleasant when it was required, but it was getting tiring. His father was even more unbearable than usual lately and Jin Zixuan had to restrain himself from strangling the man anytime he made a comment at Jiang Yanli's expense -- his mother couldn't even defend her, with these new rules about omegas not speaking at the table unless spoken to. It was all bullshit.

He came back from dinner seething, and he immediately went to pick up a pillow off the bed and took it to the middle of the room and slammed it on the rug with all of his strength, pretending that it was his father. "Dammit!"

Now that his tantrum was over, he fixed his hair and picked up the pillow to put it back. He needed a hot bath with flower oils after the day he'd had.

Jiang Yanli, being the beautiful angel that she was, had already begun running a hot bath when they came back from dinner. She approached him with a gentleness, rubbing his arm soothingly.

"Wei Ying came to Koi tower with his mate, Lan Wangji. They wish to speak to you later... but bath first, okay?" she said with a smile.

"Wei Ying..." Jin Zixuan muttered, only giving it a second of thought. Then he quickly leaned down to give her a kiss. "Thank you, you're my guiding light in these trying times, you know that?"

He made his way to the bath and started stripping down. "I swear, I am going to murder my father, the Heavens as my witness," he complained as he sank into the water.

"Don't do anything rash. I think this talk with my brother will be beneficial though," Jiang Yanli said softly as she put out the soaps and oils for him on the side of the bath.

Jin Zixuan poked through them and picked out a fragrant soap to use. He thought again about Wei Ying. He had apparently been through some shit lately, according to Jiang Yanli. "Why do they want to talk to me?" he asked. "You say it'll be beneficial, so I'm guessing it's nothing bad."

"It's hard to explain. It's regarding everything that has happened lately though, so I've told them that you would speak to them privately," Jiang Yanli said.

Jin Zixuan hummed. "Alright then," he said. He sat in the bath for a while until the water went cold, then he got dressed in new clothes and sat down to read until Wei Ying and Lan Wangji came back.

Wei Ying was hooked around Lan Wangji's arm as they walked back to Koi tower after going out for a meal. He'd put aside the dislike that Lan Wangji had to order on his behalf in favour of thinking about how good the food was.

"Lan Wangji," Wei Ying said as they walked. "There's something I want to tell you before we see the peacock... Jin Zixuan."

Lan Wangji hummed in acknowledgment. He was looking around warily, eyeing the Wen soldiers that were placed in spots around the shops, but Wei Ying’s words caught his attention.

"When I was a teenager... Well, jiejie and Jin Zixuan have been arranged to be married since they were born pretty much. But when I was a teenager, Jin Zixuan decided that my sister wasn't pretty enough and he... one time he tried to kiss me. So, uh, I punched him. Things are a bit awkward. But he loves my jiejie a lot, I know that he's grown up since then... I just thought you should know," Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji frowned slightly. He didn’t know how to handle that piece of information. Truthfully, he didn’t know a single thing about Jin Zixuan, so this was the first thing he was really hearing about him. He supposed if Wei Ying said he was different now, it didn’t matter. Lan Wangji just needed information.

They made their way through once again and stopped at the bedroom door. Lan Wangji hoped he wasn’t too early as he knocked on the door.

It opened a moment later and Jin Zixuan stared blankly at them, then stepped aside. “Come in,” he said.

"Thanks for talking to us," Wei Ying said and walked inside. He looked around the room and then turned to look at Lan Wangji, giving him a little nod.

Lan Wangji nodded back. He supposed he would ask the questions, then, since things were apparently awkward between those two. He first greeted Jin Zixuan. “I am Lan Wangji, Wei Ying’s husband. I have some questions”

“Yeah,” Jin Zixuan said, breathing out heavily and looking around, “I was told. Come over here, we can sit.”

Lan Wangji wasn’t bothered by the lack of formality. He sat down on the cushions and fished his notes out from his bag.

“So when did Jin Guangshan surrender?”

“Over two weeks ago,” Jin Zixuan said. “It wasn’t really a ‘surrender.’ It was an agreement to work with them, but under their control. Now they’re building shit for them.”

Lan Wangji thought for a moment, then he asked, “Do you know what led up to it?”

Disgust crossed Jin Zixuan’s features. “It was that two-faced bitch Jin Guangyao,” he said. “We were going to work together to fight off the Wens, but then I overheard him convincing father to work with them. It turns out, he’d been working for the Wens. At least that’s what it looks like. He’s a Wen general now.”

While Lan Wangji copied this down, Jin Zixuan asked, “Why do you want to know this?”

Lan Wangji looked at Wei Ying. He wasn’t sure how many people they should tell about the other world.

"It's all a bit complicated but... we want to put a stop to this before it gets out of control. It won't just be Lotus Pier, Lanling... we have some... erm... information about it but we need to know details exactly of what's going on. Does that make sense?" Wei Ying said.

Jin Zixuan raised an eyebrow. "Detectives, huh," he muttered. "Well, it was Jin Guangyao's fault. Now we're fucked. Good luck trying to fix this. It'll be you guys up north who's got a chance at it." He eyed Lan Wangji.

Lan Wangji chewed on his lip. He was afraid that that was true. It took the Wens two years to get the king on their side in the other world, but how much sooner would it happen here? How much time did they have to protect their omega students?

"I don't know if we should return to Gusu," he admitted. "My brother is spreading the word. Do we need to start organizing for unclaimed omegas to either find an alpha or leave the kingdom? How much time do we have? This happened too quickly."

"It wouldn't hurt," Jin Zixuan said. "I just want things to go back to normal."

"Thanks for... taking care of my jiejie, or whatever," Wei Ying said. He folded his arms over his chest and huffed a little. "We'll make things right so you can have a proper wedding."

Jin Zixuan gave him a skeptical look. "Good luck," he said. "I hope we're still alive to have it."

Lan Wangji stood up. "We should go to the other regions and start spreading the word," he said. "Thank you for the information."

Jin Zixuan stood as well and sighed. "I wish I could do more," he said.

"We'll let you know if there's anything you can do to help," Wei Ying said.

Lan Wangji was antsy when they left the palace and headed to the stable to retrieve their horse. "I think we should go back to Gusu on horseback," he said. "Spend time in the cities and spread the word. Perhaps the Companions haven't reached the southern regions yet."

"Do you think everything is happening faster here because of this... Jin Guangyao person? Maybe we should ask Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan about him, see if he's around in their universe, when we go back," Wei Ying said.

"He must be," Lan Wangji said. "But what is he doing in that universe? What's different?" The last words were whispered to himself. He felt like he wasn't getting anywhere with this information. It was like being in the other world hadn't helped them at all.

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, felt renewed. Even though Lan Wangji had annoyed him, he and Wei Ying had given him hope. Maybe there was a way to fix things.

The night after the two had disappeared as quickly as they had come, Lan Zhan lay on top of Wei Wuxian, comfortably knotted together. He fiddled around with the stuffed animal Lan Wangji had left behind. He couldn't figure out if he had done it on purpose or not, but he was secretly glad. He liked the reminder that the other two were real -- though the fading bruises on his wrists achieved the same.

"We should go to Qishan soon," he said suddenly. "Lan Wangji and Wei Ying are trying to save the world. We can try to save ours too."

"I'm not the fondest of the idea of going into the belly of the beast but... I think it's the best way to get information and if we can find some omegas who would be willing to turn under our protection, even better. I'll do my best to protect you. I would rather die than let something happen to you, " Wei Wuxian said as he rubbed Lan Zhan's back.

Lan Zhan propped himself up on Wei Wuxian’s chest. “Don’t do anything rash,” he said. “Remember that they will put you in prison if they have reason. Be smart.”

"I know, I know... but they can't fault me for protecting my property or whatever," Wei Wuxian replied. He huffed and squeezed Lan Zhan a little tighter to him.

Lan Zhan nodded. “I think it will be okay,” he said. “Send a letter to my father and tell him we are going to Qishan if you want to. I wish Lan Wangji had left those pendants... It would make things easy.”

Wei Wuxian nodded. "They'll be back. I'll work on sending the letter."

The trip to Qishan took a few days. Once they got past the border, Wei Wuxian bought a few metal tags to attach to his collars and Lan Zhan carved them up himself in the inn, putting Wei Wuxian’s name in pretty script. He was allowed to use his magic thanks to his agreement with the Wens, so his collar was merely for identification.

He didn’t mind it — strangely, it kind of turned him on. He had even gotten out his paints and painted one of them white, with a little border of light blue flowers around the Wen seal and Wei Wuxian’s name painted in the same color. He attached that tag to his lacy white collar and may or may not have indulged in a fantasy and worn it during sex that night.

It was just as hot in Qishan as it was in Yunmeng, so Lan Zhan kept his attire light. He had a dudou that was his skin color so he could wear less and thinner layers. He was thankful for white fabric keeping him cool.

Wei Wuxian kept Lan Zhan close by his side. They approached the gates to the Wen estate with purpose, Wei Wuxian's shoulders squared and his head held high.

"We wish to speak to Wen Ruohan," he said to the soldiers at the gates.

The soldiers stood a little taller and looked at each other. Then one of them went into the building.

“What are you doing here?” the other soldier asked. “Aren’t you supposed to be in Gusu?”

"Did you not hear me? I'm requesting an audience with Wen Ruohan. My omega wishes to lend his life magic to your healing department," Wei Wuxian replied.

The soldier raised his brows and looked at Lan Zhan, who kept his eyes down. A few moments later, the other soldier returned and said, “Wen Ruohan will see you. Follow me.”

Wei Wuxian glanced at Lan Zhan and then took him by the arm, walking through the estate until they arrived at Wen Ruohan's office. The soldiers let the two of them inside and Wei Wuxian bowed politely, then nudged Lan Zhan to do the same.

"Wei Wuxian. What brings you here?" he asked.

"My omega wishes to lend help to your healing department with his life magic, if you will have him. He has been doing work for you in Gusu, but surely he would be more valuable here?" Wei Wuxian replied.

Wen Ruohan hummed and leaned back in his chair. "I thought he didn't want to work in Qishan?"

"He wanted a change of pace. A new environment."

"I see. And what are your conditions?"

Wen Ruohan was smart. Wei Wuxian bristled a little and held tightly onto Lan Zhan's arm.

"Much like in Gusu, I want to be there. He is my property and I want to personally oversee that he is not taken advantage of by other alphas and still enjoy him at night," he said.

"That is all?"

"That is all."

Wen Ruohan scratched his chin in thought. "And he will obey the commands of the soldiers?"

"Within reason, yes. As long as they don't do anything unsavoury to my omega, he will obey."

"Fair enough. I will have the soldiers escort you the healing quarters. My best alpha, Wen Qing, will monitor you. There are chambers in that wing as well, for your stay."

Wei Wuxian bowed again. "Thank you."

This was easy enough, Lan Zhan thought. He kept his eyes down and fiddled with his robes until they had to follow the soldiers. He stayed close to Wei Wuxian and held onto his arm. He knew Wei Wuxian would protect him; he just had to act demure and be quiet, and everything would be okay.

Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan followed the soldiers down the hall and up some stairs. They guided them to one of the rooms and unlocked the door before letting them walk inside.

Inside the room was an alpha and an omega. The alpha woman was pawing through a book at a desk, her dark brown hair tied up into a high bun. Behind her, the omega man with his own dark brown hair half-tied was shuffling to put things into boxes. The alpha woman looked up when she heard someone walk in and furrowed her eyebrows when she saw Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan.

"Can I help you?" she asked.

"Are you head of the healing department?" Wei Wuxian asked, and the woman nodded.

"My name is Wen Qing," she said. "I run the healing department, why do you ask?"

Wei Wuxian cleared his throat and the soldiers shut the door behind them. "My name is Wei Wuxian and this is my mate, Lan Zhan. You've probably heard of him, he's quite the prolific life mage. He's been doing research in Gusu and passing it on here but he's come to more properly assist. Wen Ruohan has given permission for our stay and said that you would be overseeing him. I will be here to protect my mate."

"Let the guy speak for himself," Wen Qing said, batting her hand at Wei Wuxian. She turned to look at Lan Zhan. "Lan Zhan, was it?"

Lan Zhan immediately felt more at ease. Alpha women weren’t perfect, but more often than not they were better than men.

“Yes,” he said. He eyed the omega man curiously. It wasn’t often he came across others like himself.

"And you've been working on regrowing flesh, right? I've heard about your work on rats," Wen Qing said.

Lan Zhan took a deep breath and nodded. “It’s been successful so far,” he said. “I’m not confident enough to work on humans, there have been complications but I’m getting better at controlling it.”

Wen Qing nodded back. "I think you'll find this is a much less stressful environment that whatever shit they've been making you do back home."

Lan Zhan relaxed his shoulders. He liked the sound of that. Being in the Wen estate was stressful in itself. “The last time I was here, things didn’t go well,” he said softly. “It will take time to be comfortable here.”

"I understand. If it's of any comfort to you, there's another omega working here. Wen Ning, come over here," Wen Qing said. She called out to the omega boy putting things in boxes. He shuffled over and bowed towards Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian. "This is my brother, Wen Ning. He's a healing mage and works as my assistant. I've protected him from the rest."

Wen Ning smiled politely at the two of them. "I-It's nice to meet you both."

Lan Zhan nodded at him. He was cute and he seemed pleasant. He wondered how terrible it must have been to grow up in a place like Qishan.

“I suppose they haven’t told you what I’ll be doing here,” he said. “Do you have my latest research yet? From the beginning of this month?”

Wen Qing hummed and got up from her desk. She shuffled through some folders before pulling one out and putting it on the surface top.

"This is what they gave me. Come over here and talk me through this drivel," she said.

Lan Zhan approached and went to look at the folder, but he quickly stopped himself when he remembered that he wasn’t supposed to be reading anything. The official that had supervised him was the one who had written all of the notes.

“The main goal so far for my supervisor has been speed,” he said. “I’ve been trying to focus on quality. Large muscles and skin are the easiest, and smaller muscles and organs are the most difficult and tend to have more complications. Complications include the flesh not working as intended, which is more common with paws and tails, and cancer. The latter is more concerning, and is what I have been focusing on preventing.”

Wen Qing nodded and sifted through the papers in the folder. "Is there anything I can do to make your research easier?"

Lan Zhan bit his lip. “What kind of animals do you have available for research?” he asked.

"We have mice and rats, a few frogs and a few rabbits that can be tested on. There's a farm the other side of the estate that don't mind us using their animals for non-lethal experiments - so cows, pigs, and the sort," Wen Qing explained.

“If I can use anesthetic, I will work on the mice and rats,” Lan Zhan said. “I can move on to other animals once I am more comfortable. I will study regeneration or whatever you need me to do, but I will stay after my normal hours and continue life magic research on my own. I want to learn more about the substances in the body. I will have my alpha record the notes for me.”

Wen Qing nodded. "That's fine. Make yourselves comfortable or whatever. You have free use of the facilities in these quarters. There's a small kitchen down the hall and a lavatory next door. Wen Ning will show you to the guest room when night falls."

Lan Zhan nodded. He almost regretted not doing this earlier. It sounded like this was going to be better than his setup at home; but getting to see his family was a privilege he didn’t want to give up.

“Do you know where we will be eating?” he asked. “And what are the expectations of me? Are there specific work hours?”

"There are tables in the kitchen where you can eat. If there's something you want to eat that we don't have, just let me know and I'll get it. As for working hours, as long as you do at least four or five hours every day of research time, accommodating for breaks, that's fine. If you want a day off, again, just ask. I'll see what I can do," Wen Qing replied.

Lan Zhan nodded again. He had been worried that he would be cooking with other omegas for a group meal, but this was much better. He could work on his own schedule and cook for just himself and Wei Wuxian.

“Thank you,” he said. “Would you like for me to start today?”

"Wen Ning," Wen Qing called out.

Wen Ning jolted from where he had been looking at Wei Wuxian and turned to direct his gaze at Wen Qing. "Yes, jiejie?"

"You've got two extra pairs of hands today," she said. She turned back to Lan Zhan. "You two can help Wen Ning organise. We have a big shipment out to some of the local healing centres in the small towns around Qishan. Wen Ning is putting them into boxes, he'll show you what to do. You can start by doing that today."

Lan Zhan nodded, then looked at Wei Wuxian and Wen Ning expectantly. It was going to be an easy first day, it seemed.

Wen Ning guided the two of them over to the boxes while Wen Qing went back to reading her book.

"Jiejie colour-coded everything for me. I... can't read the labels so, this is the best way," he said. "So, see this boxes has a blue, green, and red sticker on it? That means it needs five of each product blue, green, and red."

Wei Wuxian nodded and started to help Wen Ning put things into the boxes.

"Were you... never taught how to read?" he asked.

Wen Ning smiled sadly as he looked down into the box he was packing. "Jiejie taught me a little in secret but... I can't read very well. I certainly can't write. That's... just how it is here."

Lan Zhan eyed between the two silently. He wanted to tell Wei Wuxian to shut up, but it was probably okay. If Wen Qing had actually taught her brother how to read, then clearly she wasn’t completely in agreement with the family’s ideology. But part of him worried that revealing their own dissatisfaction with it would backfire. Was it too paranoid to think that these people were testing them? He just started to gather the supplies and put them in the boxes as he was told.

"It'll be nice to have another omega here... You don't see omega men very often," Wen Ning said, glancing at Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan glanced back at him as well. “It is uncommon,” he said.

His thoughts started wandering as he worked. This was different from meeting Wei Ying. He thought that, had Wen Ning come to the university to study before Wei Wuxian did, he might have even fancied him. That would have been a disaster, surely. Going after Wei Wuxian was one thing, but if he had tried to seduce another omega man during his first semester at the university... The heavens had had mercy on him in this world. Was there a world where he had met Wei Ying instead of Wei Wuxian? How much of a trash fire would that be? His uncle would faint, at best.

"You've lived in Qishan all your life?" Wei Wuxian made casual conversation as he worked. He hated idle work so he started to chatter.

Wen Ning let out a soft hum. "Yes... I don't get to meet many people on the outside. My sister has always protected me and kept me away from alphas, I... can't say I've interacted this closely with an alpha man before."

"Oh. Does it bother you?"

"No! No, it's fine. You seem... nice."

Wen Ning looked Wei Wuxian up and down and then turned away as he smiled, looking down into the box he was packing with a blush on his cheeks.

Lan Zhan eyed him curiously. He looked like an omega woman when they talked to someone they were interested in. Bashful.

Well, it made sense. Wei Wuxian was hot and he was making it seem like he was respectful — more so than Lan Zhan wanted him to, since they would best keep up at least a small act of being like everyone else here, though he knew he couldn’t expect Wei Wuxian to actually be an asshole.

How pitiful, though. If Wen Ning had never interacted this much with an alpha man before, he might think that all alpha men outside of Qishan were like this. Lan Zhan felt sorry for him.

The packing took a few hours but it got done faster than it would have had Wen Ning been left alone to do it. He sealed the last box and then let a big smile cross his face.

"That's the last of them!" he chirped.

"Phew. You really do send out a lot of shipments, huh?" Wei Wuxian said.

Wen Ning nodded. "All the surrounding towns rely on us."

“We do something similar at the university,” Lan Zhan said as he stood up. “During the winter, they need our materials to keep warm.”

"Oh, is it cold up in Gusu?" Wen Ning asked curiously. He hadn't heard much about other regions so he was intrigued to know more.

Lan Zhan nodded. He always found it interesting when people didn’t know about the cold. This was even further south than Yunmeng, so he wouldn’t be surprised if they had never seen snow.

“The rain freezes in the clouds and comes down as snow,” he said. “It blankets everything and makes everything white. Usually it gets to at least a few feet high. A few winters ago, the snow reached the fourth floor of my building.”

"Wow... it doesn't snow here. Or at least, I've never seen it..." Wen Ning said.

"I hadn't seen it quite like that until I moved to Gusu," Wei Wuxian replied.

“Is there any more work to do?” Lan Zhan asked. “If not, I will go make my alpha and I some dinner.”

"You're more than welcome to eat and rest up for the night," Wen Qing said from across the room.

Lan Zhan nodded and bowed, then he turned to leave. He was ready to be alone with Wei Wuxian, though he knew they would still need to keep their conversations quiet.

He cooked some chicken and seasoned rice for them both and then cleaned the dishes afterwards, adhering to the ‘omegas will not speak unless spoken to at the table’ rule. It wasn’t like he wanted to say anything anyway.

When they got to the room they had been assigned, he collapsed on the bed with a heavy sigh.

“This won’t be too bad,” he spoke for the first time since leaving the healing room.

"They... don't seem like bad people," Wei Wuxian said. He was hesitant to make judgements too quickly. "Wen Ruohan obviously trusts Wen Qing a lot so it kind of confuses me as to why she's so... chill."

Lan Zhan shook his head and stared at the ceiling. He whispered so that only Wei Wuxian could hear, “Something is off. I almost wonder if they are trying to get us to let our guard down.”

"I don't think we have to worry about the omega. Er... not to sound like an asshole but I think he is genuinely just.. an illiterate omega who grew up in a place like Qishan. His sister is who we have to worry about," Wei Wuxian replied softly as he sat down on the bed.

Lan Zhan twisted his lips. He didn’t want to underestimate Wen Ning. Sure, he seemed timid and obedient, but that was how you get by as a Wen omega.

“Try not to be too nice,” he whispered. “I know it’s against your nature to be an asshole so I won’t ask that of you. But you’re my alpha master and I’m your subservient omega. We need to keep up some semblance of a power difference, even around them.”

"I hate treating you like that," Wei Wuxian whined as he shuffled up to cuddle Lan Zhan, nuzzling against him.

"You need to," Lan Zhan said quietly. "If it makes you feel better, you can do all the serving once we get back here in the evening."

That made Wei Wuxian grin a little. He looked up at him from where he had been cuddling up to him. "Is there anything I can do for you tonight, your highness?"

Lan Zhan turned to face him and smiled a little. “You can let me play with the little friends,” he said. “And you can watch me do it.”

Wei Wuxian went through the usual motions and summoned a couple tentacles. They slithered up Lan Zhan's body and nuzzled against his cheek affectionately.

Lan Zhan took one of them and held it in his hands. “Make this one thicker,” he said. “More rounded at the top.”

Wei Wuxian hummed and nodded, then did as Lan Zhan asked.

"Like this?" he asked.

“Mm.” Lan Zhan shifted a little and then drew his tongue up the top five inches or so. He met Wei Wuxian’s eyes as he put part of it in his mouth and sucked.

Wei Wuxian's breath hitched and he watched with rapt attention. He always loved watching Lan Zhan do this.

"You're such a tease," he mumbled.

Lan Zhan gently pushed him onto his back and straddled his hips. He put more of the tentacle in his mouth and sucked hard enough to make his mouth sting. He loved how squishy they were, and how they moved in his mouth.

He pulled it out with a quiet pop and said, "You haven't used any vibrating things lately."

Wei Wuxian grasped Lan Zhan's hips and rubbed small circles into them, eyes roving over his body.

"Is that what would please His Highness?" he asked teasingly.

Lan Zhan nodded slowly. He put the tentacle back in his mouth and sucked, while one hand went to untie his pants. He didn't take them off, though.

Wei Wuxian used his magic to form a familiar phallus shaped object and then looked at Lan Zhan.

"Are you going to put it in or am I allowed to?" he said.

Lan Zhan took the tentacle out and said, "You may." He reached under his robes and tugged down his pants and underwear as much as he could while still straddling him.

Wei Wuxian slipped the phallus into Lan Zhan's underwear and eased it inside him. Once it was in, he conjured the vibrations.

Fire lit up inside Lan Zhan and he dropped the tentacle in his hands and braced himself on Wei Wuxian's chest. He always forgot how intense this was, even when the vibrations were at a low level.

"Feel good, baby?" Wei Wuxian cooed. He slowly start to thrust the phallus inside him.

Lan Zhan made a noise in the back of his throat, then shifted his weight to one hand so he could put the tentacle in his mouth again. He wanted to try to fight it this time -- the more he did, the more intense his orgasm would be in the end.

Wei Wuxian pushed it deeper in and upped the intensity of the vibrations.

"You take it so well," he praised. "Such a slutty little thing, aren't you?"

Lan Zhan sucked in a breath and tensed up with a shiver. He was getting hard now, and he did his best to ignore it. He put his hand back down and looked straight ahead, then down at Wei Wuxian. "Am I?" he asked.

"Mhmm... your greedy pussy loves things inside it. I bet you could take even more than this couldn't you?" Wei Wuxian continued.

Lan Zhan bit his lip. "You know by now how much I can take," he said, fighting to keep his voice even. His thighs shook and he took a deep breath and forced his body to relax.

Wei Wuxian chuckled a little and angled the phallus into his sweet spot. He licked his lips and squeezed his hip.

Lan Zhan moaned and his arms weakened, though he caught himself before he fell on top of Wei Wuxian. He always came so fast when Wei Wuxian used this toy... could he last? He could probably cum untouched within seconds if he put effort into it. Instead, he put the tentacle back in his mouth and once again focused on sucking on it.

"You're so perfect... I wouldn't want you any other way, you naughty little thing..." Wei Wuxian said in a breathy voice.

It got more difficult to hold back as time went on. The tentacle fell out of Lan Zhan's mouth and he leaned forward, only barely keeping himself from falling down. He panted and did his best to stay afloat until he finally fell to his forearms and came untouched on Wei Wuxian's clothes with a squeak.

Gods, that was hot.

"Fuck," Wei Wuxian whispered under his breath. His free hand came up to cup Lan Zhan's cheek and pulled him up for a kiss.

Lan Zhan could barely kiss back. He went limp on top of Wei Wuxian and closed his eyes, basking in the afterglow. His body buzzed even after the vibrations had stopped, and it felt amazing.

"I love you," Wei Wuxian mumbled against his lips. He let the phallus dissipate.

Lan Zhan made a tired noise and lay there for a moment, then he slid his hand down Wei Wuxian's body to trace over the front of his pants. "Do you want to do me?" he asked quietly.

"Yes," Wei Wuxian replied. He gripped Lan Zhan by the waist and pushed him down onto his back so he could climb over him.

Still high off the great orgasm, Lan Zhan smiled lazily and pushed his pants and underwear down even more until he could kick them off. "Let's use your magic some more," he slurred. "Give yourself some horns?"

"I'll never get over how obsessed you are with your demon fantasy," Wei Wuxian said with a hint of amusement. He conjured a pair of sprouting horns on his head.

Lan Zhan snickered and reached up to grab hold of them. "I have a husband who can make things like this," he said. "Why wouldn't I take advantage? You look so sexy..."

"Such a charmer, aren't you?" Wei Wuxian replied with a chuckle. He untied the laces of his pants and pulled out his cock.

Lan Zhan wiggled his hips and spread his legs. "You know what you could do? You can make a... thin something to wrap around it while it's inside, then make that vibrate. Then we can both feel it."

Wei Wuxian nodded with a smirk. He conjured a ring to wrap around his cock and eased it on. Then, he grasped Lan Zhan's hips and started to press himself inside.

Lan Zhan tugged on the horns a little and watched as it went in. He was excited to see how it would feel, and what Wei Wuxian's reaction would be.

Once he was all the way inside, Wei Wuxian let out a soft moan. He gave a few experimental thrusts before he activated the vibrations. It made his thighs tremble and he let out a gasp.

Lan Zhan tensed up and held back a moan. It felt _good_ , and it was even better because he knew Wei Wuxian felt the same. Gods, his husband was so talented! He let go of one of the horns so he could grip Wei Wuxian's shoulder tightly.

"Fuck, it feels good," Wei Wuxian whined. His hip movements were a little shaky as he started to move again but he finally built up a steady pace.

An orgasm took Lan Zhan by surprise. He squeaked and buried his face in Wei Wuxian's neck. It was so intense, it was like his whole body was buzzing.

Lan Zhan's orgasm spurred him on. Wei Wuxian's thrusts became harder, more frantic, and his hand wrapped around Lan Zhan's cock to pump it in time.

The unrestrained and repeatedly punctuated moan that came out of Lan Zhan was completely Wei Wuxian's fault. His mind was barren except for the overwhelming pleasure that reached from head to toe. It was like his orgasm just wouldn't stop.

Wei Wuxian kept going, mumbling praises as he did, until he too finally came. He thrusted in a few more times as he climaxed with a moan, then his knot began to expand inside Lan Zhan. He let the ring around his cock dissipate along with the horns.

The knot filled Lan Zhan up so well and he shivered as it pressed against his sweet spot. His breath was heavy as he recovered, and he reached up to grab the pillows so he could put them around his thighs. Then he went limp and let his legs fall against them, though he did keep tensing up every now and then — it was a pleasurable feeling.

“You should do that every time,” he said.

"What, the vibrating ring?" Wei Wuxian asked with a hum. He leaned down and nuzzled at Lan Zhan's neck, wrapping himself around him and settling.

"Yeah..." Lan Zhan closed his eyes. "Though maybe not when we have to be quiet," he added with a hint of embarrassment.

All Wei Wuxian did was chuckled which soon morphed into a croon as he cuddled up more to his mate.


	8. Pieces of the Puzzle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying got more information from Jin Zixuan about the war. Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian went to Qishan and met Wen Qing and Wen Ning.
> 
> This chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying meet the master behind their world's war, and then have a break from it all to get through their cycles together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Extra long chapter today folks!

As expected, it was much better to work in Qishan than it was to work in Gusu. Wen Qing let Lan Zhan do whatever he wanted, though he didn’t push his luck. He was quiet and had Wei Wuxian write down everything and go through old notes when needed. He actually managed to make a lot of progress in his hormone research, and he was excited to send his findings to Jiang Wanyin once they left.

But he hadn’t forgotten why he was there. A couple of weeks into their stay, Lan Zhan was making his way down to the restroom when he noticed an open door. The door had always been locked, so of course he was curious. He knew that this was dangerous, but Wei Wuxian was just down the hallway…

He slipped in and looked around. Immediately he went to the desk where there were papers here and there. It looked like they were inventory lists… He found a map and skimmed over it. It was a map of Qishan, so he quickly folded it and put it in his robes. He decided that was enough, and swiftly walked out.

But as soon as he did, he locked eyes with a Wen soldier and his blood ran cold.

The Wen solider was surprised to see a little omega in restricted quarters but he quickly recognised the omega as the mage from Gusu that had come with his alpha. He narrowed his eyes and unsheathed his sword.

"State your business, omega," he hissed. "You’re not allowed here without an alpha."

Lan Zhan took a few steps back and he looked away, turning his scent submissive. "I was going to the restroom, the other one was taken," he said. "I got curious. I'm sorry."

"You-"

"Is there a problem?" Wen Qing came down the hallway and approached the two of them. She stood between Lan Zhan and the soldier and squared her shoulders.

The Wen soldier looked mildly panicked when Wen Qing squared up to him, her dominant scent becoming quickly overpowering.

"T-The omega was in...a restricted area! He needs to be reported to Wen Ruohan immediately!" he said in a hurried voice.

Wen Qing sighed. "He was collecting something for me. What are you doing down here anyway?"

"I-"

"I don't think Wen Ruohan would like to hear from me that you're snooping around? Oh and while I'm there, I might as well tell him that there was that one time you came to my clinic with hm... what was it again? A-"

"No! No. Wen Ruohan doesn't have to hear about that!"

"Then you will be on your way, yes? And not bother my assistant again?"

"Yes ma'am!"

With that, the Wen soldier quickly sheathed his sword again and scurried off in the other directly. Wen Qing let out a deep breath and looked over at Lan Zhan.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

Lan Zhan was slow to respond, feeling paralyzed from the stressful situation. He looked up at her and then away. "Yes," he said. He couldn't quite believe what had happened. "Thank you..."

"Next time, come with Wei Wuxian. Is there anything I need to know?" Wen Qing asked and then gestured with her head for him to follow her back to the main clinic.

Lan Zhan shook his head. He would just wait until the other restroom was clear; he was nervous now.

"Alright well, I don't mind if you want to look around. You're welcome to go in the library as well, just let me know. Just be careful. There's soldiers wandering around everywhere," Wen Qing said.

Lan Zhan took a deep breath and nodded. "Thank you," he said again. He really didn't understand Wen Qing. He kept trying to find things to prove that she was on the Wens' side, but there was nothing. If she really did keep Wen Ruohan from finding out about this... maybe she would be a useful resource.

"Look, don't worry about it. I wouldn't wish anything on my brother, why would I condemn you?" Wen Qing said with a shrug.

Lan Zhan didn’t comment. There were plenty of reasons to condemn him from a Wen’s perspective, but he wouldn’t voice them out loud.

He kept the map in his robes all day. He didn’t want to drop it off in his room in case someone saw him — he was paranoid now. So he waited until he and Wei Wuxian had retired for the evening before he took it out of his robes and laid it out on the bed.

Wei Wuxian entered the bedroom with a sigh. He stretched his arms and rolled his shoulders before noticing the map on the bed.

"What's that?" he asked.

“I don’t know,” Lan Zhan said, then he lowered his voice. “I took this from one of the locked rooms in the other hallway. I figured it might help.”

It was a map of Qishan, though it was difficult to understand. It pointed out things that were labeled ‘worksites’ and ‘watchtowers’ and a bunch of places with random names.

Wei Wuxian walked over to Lan Zhan and wrapped his arm around his waist before peering down to look at the map.

"You didn't get caught?" he asked.

Lan Zhan chewed on his lip. He supposed he should tell him. "I did, but Wen Qing made sure nothing happened," he said.

"What do you mean?" Wei Wuxian asked, cocking an eyebrow.

"A soldier saw me leaving the room," Lan Zhan explained. "But Wen Qing stopped him from saying anything."

Wei Wuxian had a habit of seeing the best in people but even he couldn't help being a little confused. Sure, the Wen siblings had been pleasant to them but he was careful not to trust them too much. Even though his life wasn't the one in a lot of danger.

"Why would she do that?" he said.

"I don't know," Lan Zhan murmured. He sat down on the bed and put the map over his legs. "She said she wouldn't condemn her brother, so she won't condemn me."

"I guess I understand that..." Wei Wuxian said with a hum. He sat down on the bed next to Lan Zhan. "Anyway, this map..."

Lan Zhan sighed. "I don't know," he said. "I'm not sure how it will help. But maybe we can give it to Jiang Wanyin. He might know what to do with it."

"There's got to be some reason why this is stashed away behind a locked door," Wei Wuxian said.

Lan Zhan folded it back up. "Let's hide it," he said. "We might need it but for now it doesn't mean anything." He stood up and looked around.

Wei Wuxian nodded as his mind raced through all the possibilities of what the map could be.

\--

Lan Wangji and Wei Ying hadn't even left Lanling before they came across Jin Guangyao.

They were at the gates when they saw the carriage with the Wen banners coming through, and they stepped to the side warily. The carriage stopped and the door on the other side opened, and they could hear a quiet conversation.

"General Jin," someone said, conversationally. "You haven't been back here since the occupation."

The voice that answered was melodic; Lan Wangji would suspect that it was an omega if they hadn't just referred to him as General. "I've only returned for a brief visit. I need to speak with my half-brother's wife."

"The new one? Jiang, right? That's a little bold, huh?”

The melodic voice laughed, "Not quite. You take care now."

The door shut and the carriage started moving again.

"General Jin," Lan Wangji muttered. "Isn't Jin Guangyao a Wen General now?"

Wei Ying's expression darkened and he held tightly onto Lan Wangji's sleeve. "He betrayed his family to side with the Wens... we should be careful of him. But... what does he want with my sister?"

Lan Wangji chewed his bottom lip. "I don't know," he said. "Do you want to go back?" His tone made it clear that he didn't like the idea.

Wei Ying looked at odds with himself. He wanted to go over and demand answers from Jin Guangyao, demand to know what he wanted with his sister. However, he knew it wasn't safe.

"I won't be able to control myself if I sense any inkling that he's got bad intentions," he said.

Lan Wangji was conflicted. "That would not be good," he said. He wanted to take Wei Ying away then, but he knew how he felt about his sister.

"But he... he could not be so bold as to harm her, surely? She's... another alpha's property," Wei Ying continued. Just saying those words left a bitter taste in his mouth. He shook his head and tightened his grip on Lan Wangji's sleeve. "Let's go back to Gusu. The sooner we prepare ourselves for the Wens arrival, the better."

"We will leave it in Jin Zixuan's hands," Lan Wangji said. He wanted to say that they could trust him to take care of Jiang Yanli, but he didn't know the man that well. He put a hand on Wei Ying's waist and continued onto the road and out of the gates, his other hand holding the horse's reins.

They arrived in Gusu ten days of travel later. They bathed and took a nap first, then sought out Lan Xichen. Instead, they found Lan Qiren. He looked tired.

“Uncle,” Lan Wangji said with a bow. “Do you know where Xichen-ge is?”

“He left with your mother to take our omega students out of the kingdom.” Lan Qiren gave them both a troubled look. “Wangji, is there something you need to tell me?”

Lan Wangji stiffened. “It is complicated,” he said.

Lan Qiren studied him, then he seemed to accept that he wouldn’t get any answers from him. “Someone asked for you and Wei Ying yesterday,” he said with a frown. “He was a Wen General.”

Wei Ying's eyebrows furrowed and his gaze darted between Lan Wangji and Lan Qiren.

"A Wen General?" he asked. "What did he look like?"

“He was short and looked feminine,” Lan Qiren said. “He wasn’t what I would have expected from a Wen General. Soft-spoken.”

“That was Jin Guangyao,” Lan Wangji said. He hadn’t seen the man, but the Wens probably didn’t have very many soft-spoken Generals. “He defected.”

Lan Qiren humphed and pulled a folded piece of paper from his robes to hand to him. “Well. He wanted you to meet him for a meal. He said to send notice to that address.”

Lan Wangji took it with a nod. “We will go tomorrow. It is already almost dinner.”

Lan Qiren’s troubled expression stayed. “Be careful, nephew.”

He turned to leave, but then suddenly Lan Wangji said, “Uncle.” He was surprised by himself, but now Lan Qiren was looking at him so he continued anyway, though unsure of whether he should or not. “Do you know what has happened to my father?”

The furrow in Lan Qiren’s brow disappeared and was replaced with shock. “Why are you asking this?”

Lan Wangji looked down. “...Nevermind. I don’t know why I asked.”

Now Lan Qiren looked concerned. “Nothing has happened to him, at least until March of this year. That’s when we last heard from him.”

That surprised Lan Wangji. “Heard from him?”

“He sends money to your mother every year,” Lan Qiren said. “I believe he has a potions shop in the Capitol.” He narrowed his eyes, then took a step closer. “Wangji… if you are intending to contact him, just remember that he left after you were born, of his own will. If you want something from him… be prepared to be disappointed.”

Lan Wangji nodded. “Thank you, Uncle.”

He took Wei Ying’s hand and led him back towards their room.

Wei Ying's mind was racing as he was guided back to their room, however, he couldn't help but be grateful to be back in his own space again. He flopped on his bed and curled into his blankets with a soft sigh. Life had gotten so crazy...

"What do you think he wants with us?" he asked Lan Wangji after a moment.

“Hm?” Lan Wangji was deep in thought. He had been thinking about his father, but then he realized that Wei Ying was talking about Jin Guangyao. “Oh. I am not sure. I am concerned about him wanting you there as well.”

Wei Ying rolled onto his front and looked over at Lan Wangji. "Do you think it has something to do with him talking to my sister?"

Lan Wangji went to Wei Ying and lay down next to him. “Perhaps,” he said.

He was nervous about it, especially since what had happened so recently at Qishan. He would have to keep up the asshole facade this time too.

Wei Ying didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around Lan Wangji and snuggle up close to him.

"...Does it upset you that Lan Zhan got to meet his father?" he asked after a moment.

Lan Wangji was quiet for a moment, then he gave a soft, affirmative hum. It did upset him. It was easy to brush his father off when he knew that he had never cared about him or his brother. But apparently, in another world, he did care. Just not about Lan Wangji.

“Was my being an omega all that it took?” he asked in a whisper. “To get him to stay?”

"That says more about him than it does about you," Wei Ying replied softly. He rubbed small circles into Lan Wangji's side. "I can tell you all about how parents treat omega children, if you want."

"Okay," Lan Wangji said. He was curious; Lan Zhan's upbringing was enough to make him so different in personality.

"My birth parents weren't exactly traditional in their parenting... I have a feeling they would have raised me very similar had I been an alpha. They let me do what I wanted, like what I wanted, within reason. But I know they paid extra precautions towards certain things... make sure the local kids of whatever town we were in didn't pick on me..." Wei Ying said. He sighed. "Then, after they died, I was on the streets for a little while before Uncle Jiang found me..." He swallowed down a lump in his throat. "Even though I was just a kid on the streets, people pitied me. It was always a battle trying to work out which adults were trying to help me out of pity and which of them had more nefarious intentions. I... I'm straying from the point. Uncle Jiang always treated me... different to Jiang Cheng. He was softer with me, more free with physical affection, and liked to spoil me, buy me pretty things and then get scolded by Auntie Yu. He tried his best to shield me from the world without upsetting me. It's just... different. I'm sure if I had been born an alpha, he wouldn't have been so concerned about some of the things I did. Wouldn't think I'd break if he so much as touched me too harshly, like a doll. I don't know about Lan Zhan and his father but... I can only guess that he just wants to spoil and protect him because he thinks of him like a pretty little doll that needs looking after."

Lan Wangji was quiet for a little while. He wasn't sure how he felt about that. On one hand, being looked after sounded nice. His uncle had always been harsh with him; his earlier words were one of the few times he had shown genuine concern that wasn't masked by authority or sternness. He always liked it when his mother and brother were nurturing to him, even though he knew that was frowned upon by others. If anything, his brother had served as that fatherly role for him, even though he was also young like him.

But on the other hand, he was an alpha. He couldn't possibly know what it was like to live in the world as a omega. He already knew what it was like to be demeaned and humiliated and to tiptoe around other alphas' need to dominate him -- not as much in the school, but when he left the campus gates and hung around rougher places. But that wasn't everyone, just those alphas who were as big as him. If every alpha in the world, plus older or more powerful omegas, felt the need to dominate him... and as an omega, they wouldn't have to try as hard. The reason it so commonly became violent for him was because other alphas assumed that getting him to submit would be hard, so they put their all into it -- which was also why he tended to submit quickly, before it could escalate.

"I want to know what it was like for him," he said eventually. "But I don't know if we'll ever be able to actually connect."

"I wouldn't lose hope on that," Wei Ying said softly. "Only you know yourself best but... if we're going to work together, you'll need to breach some of those hurdles sometime."

Lan Wangji chewed on his lip. They hadn't really talked much about their other halves, since their minds were more focused on the problems in this world. "You are more like your other self," he said. "I think that is why you get along. Were you able to talk to him much?"

"A little... not much without Lan Zhan being there. But we've never talked about... you know. That kind of stuff. Like childhood," Wei Ying replied.

"Does it bother you at all?" Lan Wangji asked. "Though I suppose... he is not someone to envy, in full. Jiang Wanyin was..." Hateful was the word he wanted to say. He couldn't really imagine Lan Xichen despising him that much. Just the thought of it was upsetting.

Wei Ying made a small grumbling noise. "I don't know. His Uncle Jiang is alive but... Jiang Wanyin hates him. He's been avoidant of the specifics of what happened. Wei Wuxian obviously doesn't want to talk about it, I mean... Lan Zhan had to tell us."

"I am sure it is difficult to talk about," Lan Wangji said. He turned to place a little kiss on Wei Ying's temple. "Do you actually want to talk to him about all of it? Your childhood? It seems like you both tend to cover up your feelings and smile through it."

At that, Wei Ying let out a nervous laugh.

"Whatever are you talking about, Er-Gege? I'm an open book," he said. But after a moment, he settled and closed his eyes. "It... might be nice to talk to him though."

Lan Wangji hummed. "He scares me," he breathed out absentmindedly. Then he continued, "I don't know when we should go back. I am not sure when we will figure out what is going on here... it might not be for a long time."

Wei Ying hummed and ran a finger up and down Lan Wangji's side. "I don't know when we'll go back either... We need to figure things out here first. But as for you and Wei Wuxian... I think you two should just have sex and get it out of the way. It'll be better."

Lan Wangji tensed up and looked like he had been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Didn't he tell him about that? He could have sworn that he did... but then again, he had been pretty moody after that night and sulked around for the rest of that trip. Gods, did he just not say anything? His ears burned. "Wei Ying--..."

"What? Don't give me that face, as cute as it is. What is it? Is there something you're not telling me?" Wei Ying asked. Then, he gasped. "Oh! Wait, did you two have sex? When?!"

Lan Wangji looked away, feeling himself blush even more. “You spent the night with Lan Zhan,” he said.

"Oh!" Wei Ying grinned from ear to ear and pressed his cheek up against Lan Wangji's. "Good for you two! Did you have fun? I want to hear the details!"

Lan Wangji squirmed. "It... Lan Zhan was antagonizing me so I growled at him, but Wei Wuxian growled at me. After you left, he... challenged me. I submitted, but... I moved him away and went to find Jiang Wanyin to get information. Later, he came back."

"Aaaaand? What did he do to you? He has a fascination with asses you know. Lan Zhan told me and he was eager to do mine," Wei Ying said.

"He..." Lan Wangji covered his face with his hands. He couldn't just say it out loud! "He did a lot of things."

Wei Ying hummed. "Maybe you could point to the body part for me?"

"Where do you think?" Lan Wangji asked; he would be amused if he wasn't embarrassed first and foremost. "It wasn't... he didn't... do me. He wanted to, but I didn't."

"Did you suck his dick?" Wei Ying asked after a moment of thought. He knew how much Lan Wangji enjoyed using his mouth on him.

Lan Wangji nodded and took his hands away from his face. “It was... overwhelming.”

Wei Ying chuckled and pressed a wet kiss to Lan Wangji's cheek.

"You're so cute," he cooed.

Lan Wangji rubbed his hand over his cheek. "Not cute," he whispered, just like he had the last time.

The next day, Lan Wangji and Wei Ying made themselves presentable and went down to the city. They sent a notice to the inn that had been indicated, and then waited. When the courier returned, they were led to one of the nicer places to eat.

Jin Guangyao was already sitting in the far corner of the room, though he was very noticeable with his white and red robes. When he stood up to greet them, Lan Wangji noticed how very short he was. He was as tall as Wang Laoshi, almost a whole foot shorter than Lan Wangji. It was strange to see alphas that were that short, but it was even stranger to see that plus an alpha who was so... soft-looking. If it weren't for the alpha scent, Lan Wangji would assume he was an omega.

"Thank you for meeting with me, Young Master Lan, Young Master Wei," Jin Guangyao said with a polite bow. "Please, let us sit. I have already ordered our food to save time. It will be my treat."

"Thank you," Lan Wangji said.

“I heard that you were in Lanling,” Jin Guangyao said conversationally. “And I also heard about Wei Ying’s punishment. I’m sorry that that happened.”

Lan Wangji studied Jin Guangyao’s expression. It really looked genuine. “It was an abuse of loopholes,” he said. “They claimed that because I had not wed Wei Ying when they stole him from me, that I had no claim over him.”

Jin Guangyao looked genuinely sad. “It is a shame,” he said. “Make no mistake, I am a General for the Wen military, but I do not agree with their philosophy. Even _if_ omegas are to be owned, they should be treated with gentleness and care. I truly hope that this would be the last violation against you.”

Jin Guangyao looked over Lan Wangji’s shoulder and smiled, and a second later someone came to set the food in front of them. It was a much fancier meal than either of them were used to.

Something about Jin Guangyao didn't sit right with Wei Ying. Though, he couldn't deny that his seemingly genuine sadness about what had happened had him easing off a little. How could someone who was so against the philosophy of the Wens then go and turn against their own family, throwing them to the wolves?

But there was something more pressing on Wei Ying's mind. He had to snap his jaw shut when he saw the food, hiding his eagerness. He cleared his throat and shifted where he sat.

"Before I... accept your hospitality, there is something I must know," he said, eyeing his plate and then Jin Guangyao. "I heard you spoke with my sister, Jiang Yanli. She's... very dear to me so forgive my boldness but what was it you wanted with her?"

Jin Guangyao looked surprised to hear Wei Ying speak. He listened, and then laughed, his expression full of pity. “Oh you poor thing,” he said. “I simply went to ask her of your whereabouts. I knew you were headed toward Lanling, but you weren’t there when I arrived. Apparently I had just missed you. Please, let us eat before we get into all of that.”

Lan Wangji put his hand on Wei Ying’s knee and pat it, hoping to comfort him.

Wei Ying didn't look entirely convinced but he nodded regardless, comforted by Lan Wangji's pat, and began tucking into his meal.

Jin Guangyao continued to make small talk with them until they had finished eating and small fruit tarts were brought out to them. Jin Guangyao picked at his and said, “So the matter I came to speak with you about is regarding Wei Ying’s forced stay in Qishan after the burning of his home. I am not here to make comments on it, I believe it was entirely wrong of Young Master Wen to do what he did and Wei Ying made no misstep in leaving. In fact, I am the only one remaining who knows about Young Master Jiang’s involvement in the matter, and it is due to my interference that he was successful in his mission.”

The look he gave the two was kind, but… there was a hidden message under it. Lan Wangji was wary as he continued, “It has come to my attention that during the incident, a certain artifact was taken from the estate. Would you happen to know anything about this?”

Lan Wangji looked down. His heart was racing, and he wasn’t sure how to answer the question. He looked at Wei Ying.

Wei Ying turned to look at Lan Wangji as well, his lips pinched tight. He was very obviously talking about the amulet but how could he possibly say anything about it? Was it even safe to? Probably not, right? He was still on the side of the Wens even if it was true that he helped Jiang Cheng get to him.

Jin Guangyao smiled knowingly. “That artifact belongs to me,” he said. “I will not punish the omega for taking it, as long as I can have it back.”

A very uncomfortable silence fell between them.

“You seem hesitant,” Jin Guangyao said.

Lan Wangji shifted in his seat. How could he give it back? They needed it to reach the other world. And even if the other world wasn’t useful to them anymore, he… still wanted to go back.

“Is there something that makes parting with it difficult?” Jin Guangyao asked, raising an eyebrow.

Lan Wangji opened his mouth, then sighed. “Last year, I showed Wei Ying a discovery of mine, a set of ruins. We have been using what little information there is to decipher the ancient language, and we have come far. The… amulet that Wei Ying brought back has that language on it. We… have been studying it.”

Jin Guangyao nodded quietly. A moment later, he said, “Once you are finished with your studies, will you return it?”

Lan Wangji nodded. “I am unsure when that would be,” he said.

Jin Guangyao sighed and ate some of his fruit tart. After a little while, he said, “I will make a deal with you. I have also been making notes on this amulet. We have similar ancient ruins in Qishan, however we do not have access to the information you do at the university. I will be willing to overlook you having it, but I would like to have copies of your translations.”

This was uncomfortable. Lan Wangji felt like he was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

“More specifically, I will give you copies of what information I have, and I would like you to translate it for me, as well as the other translations you have so far. I will send them to you, then I will give you two weeks to have them back to me, is that acceptable?”

Two weeks meant they only had one week to do them, since sending them would take a while. Lan Wangji chewed on his lip. “Translation takes a long time,” he said. “We will need a month and a half.”

“One month,” Jin Guangyao said.

“Our cycles are during the beginning of next month,” Lan Wangji said. “We need a month and a half.”

Jin Guangyao sighed. “Fine,” he said. “I expect your translations by October 25th. You are welcome.”

“Thank you,” Lan Wangji said.

The rest of the conversation was idle talk. Lan Wangji did his best to be civil, but he couldn’t shake the deep uneasiness he felt.

Lan Wangji kept his despair inside. Once they got back to campus, he sat down at their desk and set the amulet down on it. He really didn’t want to give it up.

"He gives me the creeps. How much of the language do you think he already knows? If any..." Wei Ying said as he approached Lan Wangji from behind. He wrapped his arms carefully around the backs of his shoulders and leaned his head against his. "...Maybe we could send him some false information? But I'm curious as to what this paperwork of his does say. Maybe it'll be helpful."

“We need to be careful,” Lan Wangji said. “He might know if we send him false information. Let’s see what he sends us first.”

Wei Ying let out a long sigh. "You're right, you're right."

It was quiet on campus. Lan Xia and Lan Xichen had taken the omega students away, and they wouldn’t return until towards the end of the month. Lan Wangji and Wei Ying spent their time translating the notes they received from Jin Guangyao. It was fascinating work, even though it was slow.

They had to work around words they didn’t know the meaning of, which was normal, but there were also pictures that Jin Guangyao had copied from the transcriptions. They noticed that in two of the transcriptions, there was a repeated instance of the words that they learned had denoted the other world, which made sense if Jin Guangyao had had the amulet as well as these notes. Interestingly, most of the time the words came up, they used the markings that had been translated as plurality. This could indicate that there were more than two worlds.

Further in the documents, there was a picture with two ovals and a person standing in each, facing each other. The perspective made it look like it was two circles mirroring each other, and the one on the right had a word that meant “home” and the one on the left had a word that meant “other world” written under it, singular. There was a short word next to it, and he guessed that it could be the name of a particular world, perhaps the one this world was connected to through the amulet. He wrote that down as the shorthand ‘Wuxian-Zhan’ to identify it.

But the uneasy part was that there were also references to danger in those transcriptions and those alone. It was possible that the others also referenced other kinds of danger that they didn’t know about, but the pictures that went along with them just showed people and animals and no signs of distress like the apocalyptic pictures, so it was unlikely.

The star society had been thorough with documenting hard times. There was a common theme of disease, though war was also frequently depicted. There were two documentations of other disasters: what looked like a massive storm and then a drought. Among most of the scholars who had studied the star society, including Lan Wangji and Wei Ying, disease had been the thing that had wiped them out.

The words denoting disease and war were present in the transcriptions that talked about the other worlds, but there were also words that were used to describe the storm, words that were translated as a warning of something sudden and dangerous. This appeared multiple times, along with words meaning death, misery, and contagion. It also talked about a king, or perhaps a god, and it was closely paired with the words for warning and danger.

There was a drawing of a circle with a crowd of people inside of it, all looking at the viewer with identical horrified expressions. There was a word under the circle that Lan Wangji and Wei Ying had identified as the act of interaction between the worlds, whether through observation or actual travel they didn’t know. It also had the words for king and misery, and the plural form of ‘other worlds.’ The meaning of this drawing was unclear.

The word meaning safety was referenced in the second transcription, and if they had correctly translated the word for interworld interaction, then it would follow based on context that the society achieved safety by _ceasing_ interaction between the worlds. Their guess was that the danger had been the disease, and a king was involved.

There was another drawing in that transcription that was also not easy to decipher. It had a large, elongated vertical oval that held the image of mountains inside of it, and along the edge of the oval there were words, such as those meaning other world, interworld interaction, and heavens. There was also the word for _cows_ , which was surprising and Lan Wangji made a note of it. It was possible that they had mistranslated the word to mean cows, but they couldn’t really know for sure. It wasn’t a word that came up often, except in depictions of farming and… well, cows.

Next to the oval there were two shapes, a circle and a triangle. The circle, he and Wei Ying had decided already, was the amulet. It had the same markings on it. They weren’t sure what the triangle was, though.

One night, while Wei Ying was in the bath, Lan Wangji stayed at the desk. He had stepped away from the work for a few hours and socialized with his family who had just returned, so when he looked at the transcriptions with fresh eyes, something else stood out to him.

The amulet had a vertical line on it, which had seemed like just a random design. But the triangle in the drawing had two vertical lines, small but undeniable. And in the oval, right in the middle of the mountain, there were three vertical lines.

There had been guesses at vertical lines meaning numbers, but it was difficult to confirm. The star society hadn’t laid out a number system in clear terms, at least not that they had found. There were vertical lines within other words too. But the placement of _these_ lines was unmistakable.

The amulet was one, the triangle was two, and the oval was three. And now that Lan Wangji looked around, he noticed that the numbers one, two and three were scattered throughout the document, previously overlooked as untranslated words. They had a word before each number that was the same, so he wrote that down and temporarily translated it as ‘object.’

Lan Wangji started to go through the document again, this time slotting in these new meanings. It seemed like object three, the large oval, had many copies and they existed in each of the other worlds. They had been destroyed, possibly during the apocalypse. This could have been connected to the ceasing of interaction between the worlds. Objects one and two, the amulet and the triangle piece on top of it, were only referred to in singular form. They were related to interworld interaction between the ‘home’ world and the ‘Wuxian-Zhan’ world. This made sense, because when they used the amulet it only led them to Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan’s world, rather than any of the others. Lastly, it seemed like object one was in the ‘home’ world, and object two was in the ‘Wuxian-Zhan’ world. There were also references to safety and ceasing contact between these two worlds.

Lan Wangji got a new piece of paper and wrote out his tentative explanation: _Multiple worlds exist. A disease threatens the population across the worlds. The worlds are cut off from one another, possibly alongside the destruction of the large ovular objects. (Could these objects be the method of travel?) The isolation of the worlds brings safety from the disease. Our world and the Wuxian-Zhan world are connected through the amulet and the triangle object, which exists in the other world. The separation of these two objects could have been related to the ceasing of interaction between the two worlds. How they are related to the ovular objects is unclear._

Lan Wangji looked at the amulet that they kept on the desk. He had been tempted to use it again, just to look at the other world. But now that he had actually met Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan, it felt weird to watch them like that. He didn’t know what to think of these messages of danger and warning. If all it was a disease, then surely the danger was over after so long. The stress on the king, however, made it seem like it was more than that. He would wait to see what Wei Ying thought when he looked at it.

Wei Ying returned from his bath and quickly noticed that Lan Wangji had written down a lot more than he'd left him with. He hummed as he walked over and sat on Lan Wangji's lap, then picked up the papers and started shuffling through them.

"Everything would suggest that if we want free travel to help Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian, we need that triangle piece. But... the two things were separated for a reason. Clearly nothing good has come from the contact... since the Star society no longer exists," Wei Ying said. He scratched his chin in thought. "But we have to try, right?"

"There are many reasons why a civilization can fall," Lan Wangji said. "All of this is speculative. But I do believe the triangle piece is in the other world. Whether it allows free travel is unclear. I am curious about object three. Perhaps it is also required."

Wei Ying sighed and leaned back against Lan Wangji's chest. "There's too much we don't know. We need to go back to the other world if we're going to figure this out. It could be really useful."

Lan Wangi nodded. There was the issue of Jin Guangyao knowing about all of this, and he wasn’t really sure what to do about it.

\--

Lan Wangji’s rut came a week later, and they set all of their worries aside to get through it. He prepared the bed and a giant box full of snacks and water to last them for a week and a half, and contraceptive potions for Wei Ying’s heat, which would start shortly after his rut started. Their last cycles had been spent apart over the summer, and Wei Ying’s last heat had been a traumatic one, so it felt especially good to get to spend it together again. This would be their first rut and heat together as a married couple.

Wei Ying had gone into preheat first, and Lan Wangji did his best to accommodate him. He scented everything that Wei Ying gave to him so that he could put it in their nest, and soothed him with his crooning when he got grumpy or distressed. Now it was past curfew and Lan Wangji was giving him a bath and washing his hair. He had just taken a bath himself, since his rut was going to start that night. He enjoyed getting to worship Wei Ying with his hands, cleaning him and crooning softly in his ear.

Wei Ying was happy to soak in the hot water and lean back into Lan Wangji's touches. He could get picky in his pre-heat but Lan Wangji's presence was always a welcome one. Having this heat together really did mean a lot to him.

"Your hands are like magic," he mumbled as he closed his eyes.

Lan Wangji kissed the side of his jaw as his hands cupped more water and rinsed off Wei Ying's body. He turned on the faucet and gently guided his head under it so he could rinse the soap out of his hair.

He was about to reach for the hair oil to brush into it when he started to get dizzy. He braced himself against the tub and blinked, trying to get his bearings. He felt increasingly uncomfortable and on edge, and he realized he was going into rut already.

"Wei Ying," he breathed as he sat his butt on the floor. "I don't think I can finish."

Wei Ying blinked and turned around to look at him on the floor. He balanced himself on the ridges of the bathtub as he took in the sight of him. Then, the scent hit him.

"Oh. I thought we'd have a couple more hours before you..." he said.

Lan Wangji put a palm on his forehead. He wanted to burrow, but he wasn't in the bed at the moment so he couldn't. He scooted closer to the tub and leaned in to bury his face in Wei Ying's neck instead for comfort. He whined quietly.

Wei Ying clambered out of the tub moments later and put himself in Lan Wangji's lap, uncaring of the fact that he was still wet from the bath. He pulled Lan Wangji's face directly into the base of his neck, where his scent was the strongest, and purred.

Lan Wangji wrapped his arms around him and squeezed him close, breathing in his scent. "Wei Ying... can we go to your nest?"

"Mmn... yeah, let me just..." Wei Ying hesitantly wiggled out of his lap and dried himself off as quick as he could.

He tied his wet hair into a messy bun and slipped on a loose, inner robe. Keeping his nest the way he wanted it was important to him right now. He sat down in the spot he had created for himself and looked over at Lan Wangji.

"Come sit right here," he said, patting the space he had made for him amongst the blankets. "Careful not to knock or move anything."

Lan Wangji was so gentle he might as well have been handling Wei Ying's beating heart in his hands. It was hard to do with his mind as foggy as it was, so he just went slowly and carefully lowered himself into that spot. He lay down on his front and looked at Wei Ying pitifully. "Will you lay under me?"

That made Wei Ying laugh a little. His husband was just so cute. He nodded and wiggled down to lay down on his back.

"Come lay on me then," he said.

Lan Wangji carefully scooted over and positioned himself on top of Wei Ying. This was his favorite spot to be when he was in rut, protecting his omega from the rest of the world. He propped himself up on one forearm and scented Wei Ying, a loud, self-indulgent croon vibrating in his chest and throat.

Wei Ying smiled at him, running his hands gently through his hair and pulling him closer. The crooning made him feel at ease, the calmest he'd ever been. He'd heard many things about alphas in rut before but none of them seemed to hold true when it came to Lan Wangji.

"Smell good?" he asked.

"Always," Lan Wangji rumbled. He leaned down and scented his face with his cheek, intent on making his claim known.

Of course, he was an alpha and his rut had its plans for him. After more than ten minutes passed, another instinct rose up in his body and made him tense and antsy. The fog in his mind got denser and he shifted his weight to his other forearm so he could pull Wei Ying's thigh up and rub against him. He was still wearing his inner robes, so it wasn't doing anything. Distantly he knew that was a good thing, since he couldn't just push inside him without preparation first.

Wei Ying's breath hitched as soon as he felt that hardness against his thigh. His fingers tightened in Lan Wangji's hair.

"Oh," he breathed. "How naughty of you, Lan Wangji, getting rowdy already?"

Lan Wangji ducked his head and bit harshly but briefly on Wei Ying’s shoulder. He let out a quiet growl of frustration. He wanted to — he _wanted_ , but he didn’t know what he should do. He rubbed a little harder.

Wei Ying gasped and lightly smacked the back of Lan Wangji's shoulder. "You bit me!"

Lan Wangji growled again and bit Wei Ying once more, though lighter this time. He figured that he could just move against Wei Ying until he got his release, though he wanted to _knot_. His instincts battled against his foggy conscious thoughts. He didn’t want to hurt Wei Ying, and that was enough to keep him from tearing off his clothes and taking what he wanted. He tucked one hand under Wei Ying’s lower back and lifted him up so Lan Wangji could more easily rub against him.

Wei Ying whined and leaned his head back. To think that not too long ago he was singing his praises about how soft he was with him. However, as he was rutting against him, an idea hit him.

"Wait... Wait, I-I have an idea..." he said. He pushed Lan Wangji back slightly and reached over as best he could for the nightstand drawer where they kept the oil. He popped it open and hitched up his inner robes until they pooled in his lap, then he lathered some of the oil over his inner thighs. "Put it... Put it between here."

He squeezed his thighs together but left a small space for Lan Wangji to push his cock in.

Lan Wangji didn’t like this as much since he had to sit up and couldn’t smother Wei Ying with his body like he wanted to, but this was better than nothing. He pushed down his pants and underwear so he could take out his aching cock and scooted closer until he could press it between Wei Ying’s thighs. He strained to keep his body in check; every ounce of him wanted to go wild. But he kept his thrusts moderate, just enough to keep his instincts at bay. He didn’t think he would last more than five minutes anyway, with the onset of his rut.

He would get to go haywire eventually, he reminded himself. Wei Ying would go into heat and then he would want that, but now he had to be a good boy and behave.

Wei Ying let out a soft whimper every time Lan Wangji's cock rubbed up against his own when he thrust in between his thighs. He could feel the slick begin to build between his legs.

"Oh...mmm..." he breathed. He squeezed his thighs a little tighter around Lan Wangji's cock. "You're being so good for me..."

Like he expected, after about five minutes of this, Lan Wangji came onto Wei Ying’s chest and stomach. His knot started to inflate and he let it, relishing in the sweet pressure. The relief was bone-deep and he wanted to lay down, but he kept himself where he was.

"You always cum so much," Wei Ying said with a sigh. He squeezed Lan Wangji's knot and shuffled on the blankets. As the cum dried, he started to feel a little agitated. It was definitely his preheat that was making him so sensitive to certain things but alas... There wasn't much he could do.

After a minute, Lan Wangji pulled Wei Ying’s legs apart and let his knot deflate early. It ached, but he wasn’t ready to cum ten more times yet. As arousing as it would be to see Wei Ying dripping in his seed, having multiple orgasms like what happened to him during the last rut they’d spent together was tiring.

“I won’t this time,” he said. “Are you okay?”

"Yeah, I'm okay. Just... get a cloth or something and clean this mess up for your omega like a good boy, okay?" Wei Ying replied, cocking an eyebrow.

Lan Wangji pulled his pants back up and carefully left the nest. He went to get a stack of cloths and a bowl of hot water from the tub. He brought it to the bed and set it on the table, then wet a cloth and gently wiped Wei Ying’s chest and stomach and thighs. Then he climbed back into the nest and lay down next to Wei Ying with his arm around him.

"Thank you," Wei Ying mumbled and leaned over to press a gentle kiss on Lan Wangji's nose. "You know, you're probably the most considerate alpha to ever exist."

“That’s depressing,” Lan Wangji said. All he did was clean Wei Ying up after he asked. Surely that wasn’t exceptional.

Wei Ying sighed and cuddled up to him. "I know, isn't it just? But I mean it. I love you so much, you're so good to me."

Lan Wangji hummed and kissed him, then closed his eyes. He always needed to get as much rest as he could when he was in rut.

As usual, his rut didn’t let him sleep. It was worse than it could be since he didn’t want to go through a full knot yet, and his rut kept waking him up every hour. The next day, he was so tired that he didn’t even wake up when Wei Ying went into heat. His dreams did start getting a little weird, though.

Wei Ying's heat had him waking with a fever. His body already felt so hot and sweaty on the blankets. He opened his eyes and let out a soft whine as he looked over at his sleeping companion. It didn't take him long to shed his inner robe and clamber onto Lan Wangji's lap.

He needed something to fill him and desperately so. Slick was already pouring out of him at this point and his mind was hazy. He looked down at Lan Wangji and lazily pushed two fingers inside him with a loud squelch and a sigh. If he could get himself off quickly then he could easily sink himself down on Lan Wangji's cock.

Lan Wangji was completely out of it when he woke up. Without thinking, he rolled Wei Ying over onto his back and pressed into him. He went slowly only so that he could position himself more comfortably.

Wei Ying let out a loud whine. He grabbed onto Lan Wangji's shoulder with his free hand while the other grabbed at his hard cock, pressing against his stomach.

"Lan... Lan Wangji," he breathed.

Lan Wangji lifted Wei Ying's lower back and braced himself on the bed before he started fucking him. And this time he went hard, his mind much too clouded to be embarrassed or worried. He bit down on Wei Ying's shoulder and growled.

"F-Fuck...!" Wei Ying immediately gasped at the bite. He squeezed his thighs around Lan Wangji's waist. It felt so _good_ to be filled like this, even if the stretch was intense this soon. "Yes... yes, yes, yes... please, oh Gods, Lan Wangji-- fuck me...!"

Lan Wangji sped up, this time holding Wei Ying's waist with both hands and using his arms to push and pull him halfway with each thrust. It was all a blur until he came hard with another strained growl. His knot filled up and finally he let it. It felt so good, so tight...

If the manhandling hadn't been enough, as soon as Lan Wangji filled him with his knot, Wei Ying was tipped over the edge. He came with a moan, tears budding in the corners of his eyes at the intensity of it.

"Oh...mmm... Oh Gods..." Wei Ying said between breaths.

Lan Wangji collapsed, his entire body going limp. He only managed to push himself back up a little after a few seconds so he didn't crush his omega. He reached for a pillow and tucked it next to Wei Ying so he could lay on it instead. The angle was a little awkward but his exhaustion was bone-deep and it didn't matter.

Wei Ying hooked his leg over Lan Wangji's hip so they could cuddle up comfortably. He leaned in to press a kiss to Lan Wangji's lips.

Lan Wangji kissed back briefly. He would have asked if he was okay, but he was too tired to do that. Instead he let a short croon come out to express a similar sentiment.

Wei Ying answered with a purr, snuggling up close to him. He was still a little horny but the knot was keeping him satiated for now, at least until he woke up a bit.

Lan Wangji dozed until another orgasm swept through him and left him breathless. _Here we go_ , he thought. Why did this happen to him? He knew that alphas in rut tended to cum a lot more than normal, but... he would just do his best to enjoy the feeling until it started to get painful. If he remembered correctly, his knot would last about half an hour. Then he would get a few hours of blissful sleep.

But unfortunately for Lan Wangji, by the time his knot went down, Wei Ying was starting to get antsy again. He squirmed and whined low in his throat.

"Lan Wangji..." he mumbled before starting to rut up against his leg. "Please..."

Lan Wangji was pulled from the sleep he had fallen into already. He simply wasn't used to pulling all-nighters! He was still sheathed inside Wei Ying, so he pulled his sensitive cock out. He forced himself to tug Wei Ying's body as far up the bed as it could go and then scooted down and pulled his pillow with him. He took hold of Wei Ying's hips and guided his cock into his mouth, then reached between his legs and slipped three fingers in easily. He closed his eyes and sucked lazily, rubbing his fingers over Wei Ying's sweet spot. He was going to fall asleep while doing this, he was sure.

Wei Ying moaned and bucked his hips up into Lan Wangji's mouth. The pleasure was good, the fingers filling him were so deep, but it wasn't enough. It was never enough. He needed a knot if he was going to be satiated.

"Fuck... Fuck fuck... more! Please, more," he whined.

Lan Wangji sucked fiercely and started shoving his fingers in and out as fast as he could. Just a little bit longer, he thought.

It didn't take Wei Ying long to cum when Lan Wangji was treating him like that but one orgasm wasn't enough to satiate his heat. He spilt hot into Lan Wangji's mouth and panted, but moments later, he was raring to go again.

Of course, by that time Lan Wangji was already falling asleep again despite his fingers still being partially inside Wei Ying and his mouth still full. He was in the half-wake state where his normal thoughts took strange turns without his awareness. He had first been thinking about Lan Zhan and what his heats must be like, but now he was thinking about Lan Zhan teaching his rabbits how to do tricks.

Once Wei Ying caught his breath, he pushed Lan Wangji off of him and rolled him onto his back so he could straddle him. He fumbled for his cock, pumping it until it was hard and easing himself down onto it with a moan.

"Oh... Oh, I need it... I need your knot," he whimpered.

Lan Wangji squirmed and made a quiet noise of complaint. Getting it up again was indeed possible apparently, but it wasn't the most comfortable thing and stung with overstimulation. But Wei Ying's heat scent reached deep into him and lit up his body again anyway. He could enjoy this, he thought. He scooted back up to the top of the bed and shifted until he was comfortable, pulling one of the stuffed animals over to hold. He slowly opened his eyes and gazed sleepily and contentedly at his husband.

Wei Ying's thighs were getting tired quickly (he also hadn't gotten much sleep after all) but chasing that delicious fullness was much more important. He balanced his hands on Lan Wangji's chest and bounced as best he could with short, punchy gasps and moans.

"Alpha... my alpha..." he cried.

Lan Wangji wasn't sure if he should help or not. He _could_ , but his movements would definitely be too slow for his omega's tastes. But if he got too tired to keep going, he would help out. It was probably going to take a while for him to cum again, if he managed to at all. The idea of not getting release made him ache, but he had cum about six times in the past hour already.

Sure enough, Wei Ying was getting too tired to continue. He whined and sniffled as he settled down on Lan Wangji's cock. He was so desperate he could cry.

"Alpha... alpha please... I need it, I-I need you..." he sobbed.

Lan Wangji put his hands on Wei Ying's waist and lifted him up and put him back down over and over, until he turned to lay Wei Ying on his side and lifted his leg up. He moved at a pace that was moderate in his opinion but probably not nearly enough. "I don't know if I can knot again so soon," he whispered. "You might have to conjure something."

"I can't! I can't!" Wei Ying cried with another sniffle. "I-It's not the same, I need... I need you. Only you will help..."

Lan Wangji only kissed Wei Ying's jaw and kept moving. It was ten minutes before he came to an ultimatum. He had suffered through worse strenuous exercises than this. He pushed Wei Ying gently onto his back and sat up before he started to thrust into him earnestly. It was another five minutes before he finally came and his knot expanded. He thanked that gods that it wasn't going to be another one of those rut knots, not until another wave hit him. He lay down on his back and pulled Wei Ying on top of him.

Wei Ying cried with relief. He had cum twice during those five minutes and it was good to be filled with his mate's knot again. He laid his cheek on Lan Wangji's chest and closed his eyes.

"I'll try 'n sleep this time, promise..." he mumbled.

Lan Wangji reached over to the bedside table and grabbed one of the contraceptive potions. He shifted a little to get comfortable and pulled Blue over, then took the cork off the vial. "Here," he said, presenting it to Wei Ying.

"Hmmm? Oh," Wei Ying said. He blinked slowly at the contraceptive potion as it was offered to him and it took him a moment to register what it was. As he took it, he gave Lan Wangji a lazy smirk and spoke in a slightly slurred voice. "Did you forget on purpose, Er-Gege? Tryin' real hard to give me a baby?"

Lan Wangji sighed. "I gave you a potion last night," he said. True, it might have been a full twenty-four hours since then, but... it was fine. "Do you want a baby?"

Wei Ying let out a small hum as he drank the potion. "Maybe," he said. "When we aren't in danger anymore... Give me a baby then. You'd like to, wouldn't you? My tummy all round and swollen..."

Lan Wangji smiled a little and took the empty bottle from Wei Ying to put away. He closed his eyes. "It is a nice image," he admitted.

Wei Ying snuggled up to him and closed his eyes as well. "I'd like to have a family... I want to have a family with you. I want us... to be happy."

Lan Wangji kissed whatever part of Wei Ying he found first. "It is my life's mission to make you happy," he said. "Right now I would be happy if we could sleep."

It made Wei Ying giggle softly and nuzzle closer.

"Okay," he whispered. "Night night..."

"Night night," Lan Wangji whispered back. He was already dreaming of Lan Zhan teaching his bunnies tricks again before his knot went down. He only had a few hours to sleep before he was woken up by another wave of rut, but that was more than he had been getting for the past twenty-four hours and he would take advantage of it.

The two of them kept at it with each wave of rut and heat that overcame them. They treasured the small moments of reprieve from all the hormones, even if the sex was incredible.

Lan Wangji had gone to wash up in their cooldown and Wei Ying took the opportunity to readjust his nest. As he shuffled around with the scented blankets and pillows, he stopped to look at Blue and Red who were also nestled on the sheets. Wei Ying wasn't sure what overcame him but he picked up Red first and felt a small croon escape him. It was the sort of croon you gave to comfort a small child.

Before he knew it, Wei Ying was tucking in the two stuffed animals in amongst the blankets and pillows like children and crooning at them.

This was the scene Lan Wangji walked back to, and the sight made him choke up with emotion. He crooned as well, his throat going numb from the powerful vibrations as he climbed back into the nest. He kneeled and held himself up over Wei Ying and their makeshift babies, watching him fondly.

Wei Ying crooned a little louder when Lan Wangji came over. His mate was here, his alpha, the man who fathered his children. He laid down in the nest, an arm strewn over his babies and glanced at Lan Wangji, hoping that he would get the message that he wanted him to join.

Lan Wangji scooted over and lay down on the other side of the stuffed animals and put a gentle hand on them. It put distance between him and his mate, but this way just felt right in the moment. He had always been one to assign roles to objects during his rut, but mostly it had been 'omega' and 'threat' rather than 'baby.' But seeing Wei Ying do so, it felt completely natural to do it as well.

"Our babies are so beautiful, aren't they?" Wei Ying said. He let his hand brush over Lan Wangji's as they both cradled the two stuffed animals.

Lan Wangji crooned a little louder in response. He gently rubbed his wrist over Red to scent it and rubbed his cheek over Blue.

That made Wei Ying let out a loud croon. He watched quietly for a few moments, content to just cuddle up with his babies, before he stated to talk again.

"Such a gentle alpha, even in rut..." he mumbled. "I can't imagine Wei Wuxian is that gentle in rut... he's probably an animal."

Hearing the name of another alpha was enough to make Lan Wangji challenge Wei Ying's claim of him being gentle. His croon morphed into a growl and he pressed down a little on the stuffed animals protectively.

Wei Ying blinked owlishly at the growl. He couldn't deny the shiver of arousal that passed through him even so.

"What are you growling at? Is it because I'm talking about Wei Wuxian?" he asked. He smirked. "He really was a brute when we had sex and he wasn't even in rut then."

Lan Wangji’s lip lifted a little as he growled again, this time his expression displaying his distaste. His scent also turned sharp with possessiveness. He knew Wei Wuxian wasn’t in the room (or even the world) but that didn’t stop him from feeling like his omega’s nest was threatened anyway.

This was too amusing. Wei Ying giggled a little, mischief twinkling in his eyes.

"Er-gege, you know... I _really_ don't think I like that pillow on the end of the bed," he said.

Lan Wangji looked. Having been riled up already, he didn’t even hesitate before growling at the offending object and nudging it off the bed with his foot. A sense of accomplishment came over him when it fell out of sight and he huffed proudly.

Wei Ying laughed more. This was too much! Too much! In his bouts of laughter, Wei Ying clambered over in the nest so he could climb into Lan Wangji's arms. He grabbed his cheeks and pulled him down so he could pepper his face in kisses.

"Thank you for protecting me, alpha," he cooed.

Lan Wangji growled again, but it was more like a cheeky grumble than anything. He was quite proud of himself. He wrapped his arms around Wei Ying and then turned them around so he could take his rightful place on top of him, shielding him from the rest of the world.

Wei Ying squealed and then continued to laugh. He spread his bare legs to accommodate Lan Wangji between them and wrapped his arms around him.

"So good to me, aren't you, alpha? Looking after your omega, your babies?" he said.

Lan Wangji picked up Blue and tucked him onto the right side of Wei Ying's chest, then put Red on the left side. He crooned and pulled some pillows closer to either side of his omega, trapping him in between warmth and softness.

Wei Ying had never felt so comfortable and at ease in his life. He smiled wide and leaned in to press a soft kiss on Lan Wangji's lips.

\--

In the end, they decided to send false translations to Jin Guangyao. There was enough there to give him information about the gist of it, but they left out the parts about the objects and explicit references to the other worlds. It wasn’t unbelievable that they would miss such a thing if they hadn’t figured out what the amulet did.

But they also decided that they needed to get that triangle piece that attached to the amulet. If Jin Guangyao managed to fill in the gaps and he got his hands on the amulet, he might go searching for the other two pieces of the puzzle. If they could get it and hide it, then that would at least hinder him.

They had the Servant come to the university this time. If they were going to be ill for much longer than the last time, they couldn’t afford to be stuck in that cave the entire time.

Once the translations were sent, they made their way through the city to find somewhere to buy new robes. They still had the ones from the other world, but they needed to have more than one outfit to wear just in case they had to disguise themselves again. Lan Wangji didn't say out loud that he looked forward to seeing Wei Ying wearing hanfu again.

"What colors do you want?" he asked when they found the shop and headed towards it.

"Hmm... Well, as much as I love my blacks and reds, I should probably make myself different from Wei Wuxian, huh?" Wei Ying said thoughtfully. "Maybe I should match my mate in some blues..."

Lan Wangji looked at him with eagerness in his eyes. Wei Ying would look absolutely stunning in blue. He didn't comment, though it was clear that he was pleased with the idea.

The shop is a large and expensive one that has a large selection of hanfu already made and tailors to fit them, and the shopkeeper eagerly guides them in.

"Are you shopping for yourself, Young Master Lan?" he asked. Lan Wangji nodded, and he beckoned him over. "Come here then, you are quite tall and broad. Let the tailors get your measurements."

Lan Wangji looked at Wei Ying. "You can look around," he said.

Wei Ying smiled and nodded. He hummed as he browsed around the shop, taking in the different styles and colours... There was so much to choose from! How was he ever going to pick? He had to consider his decisions.

Eventually, he decided on a few key things that he liked. The colours, the sort of style he liked... Yes. These would do nicely.

After the tailors got Lan Wangji's measurements, they raced off to bring the hanfu that would fit him. They were made for men who were large all around rather than his particular body type, so they had to fix them to fit him. He was free to walk around while they worked until they needed him to try the garments on, so he went to find Wei Ying.

“What have you found?” he asked as he approached.

"What do you think about these?" Wei Ying asked, gesturing towards the rich blue hanfu he'd found. "I think the colour would look nice on me... and it's far from the sort of thing Wei Wuxian wears... do you think I should go for a face veil too? Just to better shield some features. Maybe you're a bit possessive and don't want any other alpha to see my beauty." He grinned and nudged Lan Wangji with his elbow.

It was a good idea. Lan Wangji took one of the blue hanfu and inspected it. It was tasteful and minimal in design, even though the color was vibrant and rich. It would certainly showcase their wealth. He especially liked the violet trim, embroidered with subtle designs.

"Face veils are not common," he said. "If they do not have any already made here, we can ask for matching ones to be made for us."

"I think it'd be for the best that we try and do as much as possible to shield my identity. You can get away with being a relative of Lan Zhan. Wei Wuxian on the other hand has no blood relatives," Wei Ying replied.

Lan Wangji nodded. He hadn't thought of that; also while Lan Zhan was considerably softer in appearance than him enough to look like a different person, Wei Wuxian was... _very_ pretty for an alpha. Their resemblance would turn heads, no doubt.

"What other colors do you want?" he asked.

Wei Ying hummed in thought then turned to look up at Lan Wangji. He wrapped himself around his arm. "What would my handsome alpha like to see his mate in?"

Lan Wangji pursed his lips and looked around the shop. He walked over to a pale pink hanfu that had a darker pink trim and white floral embroidery. "This would accent your eyes," he said.

Wei Ying couldn't say he wasn't a little surprised at Lan Wangji's choice. He'd certainly never worn such a pink before. However, there was a first time for everything and if Lan Wangji thought he'd look good in it, who was he to say no?

"Yes? We shall get it then," he said.

Lan Wangji made his way around the store and pointed out different hanfu. He especially liked the lavender one and the black one that had a decorative and floral white, orange and pink trim and belt. When the tailors brought him back he asked them about face veils and asked for one to be made in each color to match Wei Ying's new hanfu.

The hanfu he had for himself were a variety of color combinations: deep purple with white, neutral green with blue, black with red, and black with seafoam green. It took a while for them to be finished, and the veils were finished too by the end of it. Some of them had even been embellished with beads.

They ended up spending all of Lan Wangji's savings. He was going to have to borrow money from his uncle before they left.

"I didn't expect this to be so fun," Wei Ying said with a pleased sigh. "It's like playing a game with all this dressing up. I wish we were doing it under better circumstances though."

Lan Wangji agreed. It was going to be enjoyable to see Wei Ying wearing all of those colors, and wearing something other than white was going to be strange, yet interesting.


	9. Together Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Zhan snoops and finds a map in Qishan. He is caught, but Wen Qing saves him from consequences. Lan Wangji and Wei Ying meet Jin Guangyao, who asks them about the amulet. He allows them to keep it, but he asks that in return they provide him with translations of ancient transcripts from the star society. They translate the documents, but decide to only send Jin Guangyao partial translations so that he stays unaware of the other world. They realize that there are two other pieces to the amulet, a large oval and a triangular object. These seem to be connected to interworld travel.
> 
> This chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying go back to the other world in search of the other two pieces.

They had decided not to tell anyone where they were going. Their mission was to find the other piece to the amulet, but they also had to consider that Jin Guangyao would come back for them at some point to get the amulet. He might drill the Lan family about their whereabouts, and lying wasn't exactly the strong suit of the Lan clan. All Lan Wangji did was leave a note on his uncle's desk saying that they were going to be gone on a trip and not to worry.

They had told Wang Laoshi as a safe measure. The Servant only needed to be present for the ritual itself but he would leave afterwards, and they were going to be very ill when they returned. Wang Laoshi would know to look for them. He was trustworthy, and he owed Lan Wangji too. He eyed the couple when they walked in with their disguises and luggage; Lan Wangji wore his black and seafoam green hanfu and Wei Ying wore his deep blue hanfu and matching veil. Lan Wangji felt naked without his forehead ribbon in front of the professor.

The Servant set the ritual up in a residential suite, one Lan Wangji assumed belonged to Wang Laoshi. The man was as rude and incomprehensible as he had been before, but at least he was eager to perform the ritual.

Lan Wangji held onto Wei Ying and prayed that it would go well.

Traveling between universes was more intense than using the amulet to observe. Instead of just a feeling of suspension, it was a feeling of falling. Lan Wangji was somewhat used to the sensation from his mercenary lifestyle, but this time he couldn't see where the ground was or when to expect the impact.

This time he knew that there was no impact, so it wasn't quite as frightening as the first time had been. What he was most worried about was showing up somewhere unfortunate.

And well, when they first arrived it wasn't entirely obvious if that was the case. The first thing Lan Wangji registered was a gasp and someone dropping something in front of him. He reached out and caught the object -- a glass bottle -- just as he recognized the person as Lan Zhan. That was fine. What wasn't fine were the two strangers in the room wearing Wen robes.

"Shit," Lan Zhan cursed.

Wei Ying hadn’t been happy about having to put his collar back on to go back to the other world but all those concerns were wiped away in favour of a much bigger worry. His face went as pale as a ghost at the sight of the two Wens, even if they weren’t dressed in soldier attire. This was bad. Things couldn’t be worse in fact.

“Um… Young Master Wei—” Wen Ning started but he was soon cut off by his sister.

“What the fuck?”

Wei Wuxian’s hands shot out to grab both of the siblings and keep them still by his side. “Whoa, whoa. It’s okay. I uh… Hm. I can explain.”

“Oh you better have a good explanation! You know these people?” Wen Qing bit back and Wei Wuxian laughed nervously, eyes darting towards Lan Zhan. Wen Qing immediately looked over at him as well. “And you too?”

To most, Lan Zhan's expression remained mostly the same, but to those who really knew him he looked like a kicked puppy. He took the bottle from Lan Wangji and went to the table in the middle of the room and set it down, choosing not to answer. He was just glad that they were wearing different clothes; if Lan Wangji had shown up in white this would be especially strange.

Lan Wangji bowed toward Wen Qing. "I apologize for the interruption," he said.

Wen Qing glanced between Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan. There were obvious similarities between the two of them. Something was fishy here.

"Okay, someone needs to explain what the hell is going on here," she said.

Lan Zhan fiddled with the bottle as silence filled the room. Wen Qing was a Wen, and a high ranking one too. But she had defended him once when she had no reason to do so, and she was generously lenient with the rules. The other two's entrance was impossible; appearing out of thin air was not within the realm of known magic. They hadn't prepared a lie for this situation (they hadn't even expected the other two to return for a long time) and Wen Qing was too smart to believe anything he came up with on the spot, so hiding the truth might not even be an option.

"This is my cousin Lan Wangji and his mate," he said. He pointedly eyed Wen Qing and the door, hoping that she would understand that this could only be discussed in complete assurance of privacy, and that the possibility of anyone listening from outside was a risk that he, at least, wasn't willing to take. "Their arrival is unexpected, but I imagine they have traveled far and would be happy to answer Doctor Wen's questions in a more restful and private setting."

That was enough to calm Wen Qing down enough. She wrenched her arm out of Wei Wuxian's grip and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I see," she said.

Wei Ying nodded at her as if to agree with Lan Zhan's claim and latched himself onto Lan Wangji's arm, pressing his cheek against his bicep. He could feel Wen Qing's strong gaze on him so he wanted to placate her, especially given her position.

"Jiejie..." Wen Ning called out softly with a hint of concern.

Wen Qing let out a deep breath. "Right. My private quarters, no one will disturb a lady there. It's out of the way, we won't be heard. All of you, follow me and keep your footsteps quiet."

Lan Zhan forced himself to breathe deeply on the way. He couldn't help but shoot a glare at Lan Wangji, who looked rightfully guilty.

Wei Ying looked nice, though. Royal blue looked good on him, and even with the veil covering everything below his eyes he was still stunning. It was a smart move, since he and Wei Wuxian looked too much alike. Lan Zhan suddenly wanted to put makeup on Wei Ying. A little bit of blue eye shadow and kohl to line them... He made himself look forward and focus on the issue at hand.

Wen Qing escorted them to a room in the back of this particular part of the estate. There were a few armchairs and the bed which she gestured to so everyone could sit themselves down.

"Alright. I want a good explanation," she said.

Everyone exchanged glances.

"Okay. I'll bite," Wei Wuxian said eventually. He sat down on one of the armchairs and took a deep breath. "So... this is going to sound kind of crazy. You're sure no one can hear us down here?"

"I'm sure," Wen Qing said.

"Lan Zhan and I... were minding our own business, on our way to Lotus Pier to see Jiang Wanyin, my brother. We took a carriage over and uh... suddenly, these two appeared." Wei Wuxian gestured to Lan Wangji and Wei Ying. "For lack of a better explanation, they're... us."

"What?"

"Yeah. I know how it sounds. Apparently it's possible to hop universes. So that is me as an omega and Lan Zhan as an alpha. I didn't believe it at first but... maybe it's best you ask them if you want to know the specifics."

Lan Wangji shifted uncomfortably where he sat on the bed next to Wei Ying. He didn't know why they were trusting these Wen people, but... he would have to trust them. He reached over to gently untie one side of Wei Ying's veil so they could see the resemblance.

"We found an artifact that allows us to travel here," he explained. He let his fingers linger on Wei Ying's cheek before he pulled away and looked back at the alpha woman. "This seems to be a world where I was born as an omega, and Wei Ying was born as an alpha. I am not sure who else is different as well, so far it has only been us."

Wen Qing got up to have a closer look at Wei Ying's face. She didn't touch but he looked him up and down and then glanced between him and Wei Wuxian. The resemblance was uncanny, that was for sure, even more so than between Lan Zhan and Lan Wangji.

Wei Ying leaned back slightly when Wen Qing got too close and shot Wei Wuxian a slightly panicked look.

"Don't worry. You two can trust her. She's a Wen but... she's protected Lan Zhan time and again while we've been here," Wei Wuxian said.

Wen Qing moved away from Wei Ying. She gestured towards Wen Ning. "My name is Wen Qing and that's my brother, Wen Ning. He's an omega and I have no intention of letting anyone do anything to him. I pledge no real allegiance to my distant relatives."

That made Wei Ying let out a long breath.

"That's a relief," he said.

Lan Wangji also relaxed. "We will be here for about a month this time," he said.

"Should we return to Gusu?" Lan Zhan asked Wei Wuxian. "How dangerous is it for them to be here?"

"I don't know... The Wens are unpredictable. I mean, with their identities somewhat shielded, I don't think we'll be at too much of a risk being exposed but why would they be here and how did they get in, you know?" Wei Wuxian said.

Wen Qing cleared her throat. "If you plan on leaving, there is something I must ask you first."

Lan Zhan stiffened. Wen Qing hadn't asked for anything from him really, but he owed her a great deal. He looked between her and Wei Wuxian and nodded.

Wen Qing sat back down and leaned into the armchair. "The researchers not be happy if you go without significant progress in your work. There is something... here that might excel your progress sufficiently. I do not know its exact location other than somewhere in the worksites and ruins not too far from here, it's owned by my family. The texts all say it holds great power."

"Ruins?" both Lan Wangji and Lan Zhan said at the same time, their eyes widening equally. They looked at each other.

"I am a mercenary in my world," Lan Wangji said slowly. "I know my way around ruins."

"What is it?" Lan Zhan asked Wen Qing, his eyes narrowed. "Is it specific to life magic or is it powerful in general?" _Would Wen Ruohan want my head if I was found with it?_ was what he was really getting at.

"It's some kind of artefact, I've heard it discussed. I think it does have something to do with life magic, or healing at least. It would help speed up the healing process phenomenally, at least that's what the texts say," Wen Qing said.

Lan Wangji shifted and breathed in, his brow furrowed. Lan Zhan stood up and smoothed his robes. "There is something that might help in my room," he said. "I will retrieve it."

Wen Qing shot Wei Wuxian a look and he immediately stood up.

"I'll go with you," he said. He didn't trust Lan Zhan to be left alone, not even in this part of the estate.

Lan Wangji watched as the other two left the room. He pulled his bag closer to him and fiddled with the straps and Bichen's handle.

"We should observe first next time," he said quietly to Wei Ying. "Oversight on our part."

Wei Ying nodded. They hadn't even thought about what Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian might be doing, even though they had come to the agreement that they would be going to the Wen estate. Things could've been a lot worse, all things considered.

"I've never heard of magic that could do things like this. The fact that other worlds exist..." Wen Qing said thoughtfully. "And you two are the only things that are different? Why? That's such a peculiar thing to just be... different. What is the situation over there? Are you also under control?"

This was an uncomfortable situation. Lan Wangji looked up at Wen Qing and then back down at his bag. "We are three years behind this world," he said. "We are under control, but only partially. I believe moreso than this world was three years ago."

While Lan Wangji was talking, Wei Ying noticed that the omega, Wen Ning, was staring at him. It would have felt threatening if not for his clearly demure nature.

"Interesting..." Wen Qing said.

Wei Ying cleared his throat. "Er... your brother, he keeps looking at me."

Wen Ning jolted where he sat and looked down as if he were a cat caught in the cream. Wen Qing only sighed.

"Sorry, he doesn't see other omegas much, especially not men. Lan Zhan has been his first real experience with another," she explained.

Wei Ying couldn't help but feel a little bad for him. He couldn't imagine what it must have been like to grow up under the control of the Wens. In comparison, he grew up rather privileged. Even so, he made the move to let go of Lan Wangji and go crouch next to Wen Ning.

"Hey," he said softly. "Wanna see something cool?"

"O-Okay..." Wen Ning replied.

With a smile, Wei Ying summoned his magical energy and made a few dancing lights in his palm. Wen Ning watched with wide eyes, clearly fascinated.

"It's pretty, right?"

"Ah, yes! It's like... er... Young Master Wei..."

"Wei Wuxian." Wei Ying laughed. "Yes, he is the same kind of mage as me, we're the same person after all."

Wen Ning nodded quickly and felt a smile creep on his face too.

Lan Wangji's eyes had grown fond while he watched Wei Ying perform. His omega had a kind heart, and it always made him fall a little more in love each time he witnessed it.

Wei Ying grinned and sat himself down next to Wen Ning, continuing to show him little tricks until Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan came back.

Once they returned, Lan Zhan pulled a piece of folded paper from his robes and handed it to Wen Qing. "There are some worksites listed on this," he said as he sat back down. "Do you know if any of these are what you mentioned?"

Wen Qing squinted as he looked at the map. She was about to ask where Lan Zhan had got this from but she paused.

"Yes," she said. "I don't know _exactly_ where it is because I've never seen it myself, but I would guess either here or here." She pointed to two spots on the map.

Lan Wangji stood up so he could look closer. "I've never been to these specifically back home," he said. "Do you know if the object has any identifying features? Does it radiate magic?"

Wen Qing shook her head. "I don't know. Presuming that it's very powerful, I would imagine it's got a magical aura about it. You might be able to tell it apart from other things by its healing properties."

"Informative," Lan Zhan muttered.

Lan Wangji gave him a look. "Not the most vague instructions I've worked with," he said. "So we retrieve it and Wei Wuxian and Lan Zhan return it to you to continue research. Then Wei Ying and I... wait somewhere else?" He looked at Wei Wuxian hesitantly, who just looked back at him.

"Are there any guards there?" Wei Ying asked, looking over at Wen Qing.

"Not to my knowledge. It's an old worksite," she replied.

Wei Ying hummed and looked at Lan Wangji. "Maybe we could make a head start back to Gusu after."

Lan Wangji swallowed and glanced at Lan Zhan, who looked somewhat alarmed at the prospect.

“Don’t,” Lan Zhan said. “I need to be there when...”

“We will wait in the Capitol,” Lan Wangji said. He wasn’t really looking forward to seeing Lan Zhan’s family. “How long will your research take once you return here? We will only be here for a month.”

Lan Zhan glanced at Wen Qing. He wasn’t really sure what else was needed once they had the thing.

"Don't worry about hanging around once you have the artefact," Wen Qing said. "I will help with the rest considering we still don't know what it is. With any hope, it shouldn't take too long."

Lan Wangji briefly wondered if there was something Wen Qing wasn’t saying about the object and why she wanted it, but he pushed that thought away. She seemed trustworthy so far, especially since Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian trusted her too. He then wondered if Wen Qing existed and was trustworthy back home too.

“Do you know a man named Jin Guangyao?” he asked suddenly.

Wei Ying bristled at the name while everyone else in the room exchanged confused glances and shook their heads.

"Is he related to Jin Zixuan? My sister's husband. If anyone would know him it might be them," Wei Wuxian said.

“Hm.” Lan Wangji sat back, deep in thought. Wen Qing hadn’t reacted at all to the question. It was very possible that she had a good poker face, and there was no reason why Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian would have to know about Jin Guangyao’s existence in this world even if he was here in Qishan. But it was also possible that he hadn’t been as involved in this world like he had been in their own. Still, it would be beneficial to talk to the Jin Zixuan of this world.

“Perhaps we will go to Lanling after we get the artifact,” he said.

"I do miss jiejie," Wei Wuxian said with a sigh.

Wei Ying wondered if Jiang Yanli was the same in this world, he wondered what she would think about him as an omega. It would be strange to see her, especially a version of her that didn't know him, but he was always happy to see her in any way whatsoever.

"Sounds like you have a plan then," Wen Qing said. "I would recommend we set this plan in action as soon as possible but it is getting too late for a trip today."

“We can leave if necessary,” Lan Wangji said. “I have supplies. But if sleeping overnight here would be best, we will be discreet.”

“Stay in our room,” Lan Zhan said. “It is safer in here than it is outside.”

"You just want an excuse to cuddle up with Wei Ying, don't you? Lan Zhan, you naughty thing," Wei Wuxian teased with a smirk, nudging Lan Zhan with his elbow.

Lan Wangji winced, and Lan Zhan gave Wei Wuxian a wide eyed glare and then glanced at Wen Qing, his ears turning red. He just said that right in front of those two! Wei Wuxian was too shameless. Lan Zhan disguised his humiliation as annoyance.

“You’re so full of shit,” he said under his breath, taking the map and slapping it against his mate’s chest before promptly heading for the door. Wei Wuxian followed Lan Zhan out the room, holding the map and laughing.

Lan Wangji gave him a pitying look and then focused on tying Wei Ying’s veil back on. “Thank you for your assistance,” he said to Wen Qing.

"Not a problem," Wen Qing said. "Rest up. You'll need it."

Wei Ying said his goodbyes to Wen Ning and latched himself back onto Lan Wangji's arm as they too left the room in a hurry to catch up with Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian.

Lan Wangji felt strange seeing Lan Zhan again and watching him act so rudely as he stomped down the hallways. He couldn’t blame the man though, and he wanted to offer solidarity somehow, but he had the feeling that Lan Zhan would take out his emotions on him if he did. So he averted his gaze as Lan Zhan went into their room and dug around for pajamas, grumbling about going to take a bath.

Then the omega vented his frustration by hitting Wei Wuxian’s arm, not very hard but enough to make him pay attention. “ _Don’t_ do that again,” he said.

"You can't hate me for saying the truth," Wei Wuxian said in an amused tone as he watched Lan Zhan.

Wei Ying could only roll his eyes and took a seat on the bed, carefully taking off his shoes and untying his hair.

“At least we don’t have to stay anymore,” Lan Zhan said as he walked to a door on the side of the room and opened it. Then he paused to continue, “Wen Qing won’t leave me alone with her brother again after you said that. If Wen Ning would even stomach it. You know, I was hoping that he could be my friend after all this.”

After that, he closed the door. Lan Wangji heard the sound of water from the other side. This was apparently one of those fancy places that had extra rooms for the bath tubs.

Wei Wuxian rolled his eyes. Lan Zhan could be so melodramatic at times. He decided to sit himself down next to Wei Ying on the bed instead, humming as he straightened out the collar of his hanfu.

"I've never pictured myself in these colours," he said. "It looks nice."

"It had to be convincing that I was a different person entirely," Wei Ying replied.

“We picked many different colors,” Lan Wangji said quietly, reaching over to untie his veil and fuss over him. “Wei Wuxian, are you proficient in battle magic? Do you know how to wield weapons?”

"Yes, I have my own sword that I'm very proficient in. I can hold my own pretty well, even without my magic, though it obviously helps," Wei Wuxian replied. “Why?”

Lan Wangji hummed. He was sure Wen Ruohan hadn’t allowed them to bring weapons with them, but it was good to have the skills. “In case things go badly,” he said. “We should scout the location before going in. I have some stray magic skills that can assist us.”

"You should let me go first. I'm small and quick on my feet," Wei Ying suggested, glancing between the two of them. "If anyone catches me then well, I'm just a helpless omega who got lost, right?"

“Absolutely not,” Lan Wangji said, giving him a stern look. “You have been in ancient ruins exactly once, and you would have died if I wasn’t there. These are likely Wen soldiers we’re dealing with. Who knows what they would do to a beautiful helpless omega who wandered into their grasp? I am only allowing you to go at all because you are safer with me than hiding somewhere else.”

Wei Ying huffed and was about to reply before Wei Wuxian cut in.

"He's right. I know what you're going to say, something about how you're not weak and can hold your own. I believe you, it's just... it's not safe. I wouldn't let Lan Zhan do something that reckless, not when I know how the Wens are," he said.

“You and I both can slice an undead soldier in half for attacking you but killing live soldiers carries consequences,” Lan Wangji said. “I would rather not do it if it can be avoided.”

"We should manage," Wei Wuxian replied. He put a hand on Wei Ying's thigh and squeezed lightly, making the omega smile.

Lan Wangji pulled his bag over in front of him and opened it. It had his usual supplies for missions but also other things that might come in handy. Wei Ying's bag had all of the clothes and food and other lightweight things. He looked at the various potions and materials and pondered over whether they would have to use them, but his eyes kept drifting back to the door.

He felt bad for Lan Zhan, and the need to comfort him was like an itch he couldn't reach. He knew that his presence was fuel on a fire to the omega, but that might also be a reason why he was so drawn to him. He was not someone who enjoyed or sought out conflict, but Lan Zhan was an exception to that.

However, what had happened between Lan Zhan and Wei Wuxian just before weighed on him, especially while both Wei Wuxian and Wei Ying acted like nothing happened. He knew why and he couldn't fault them for it; neither of them understood shame about the subject. But Lan Wangji understood. He understood so well that it physically hurt.

He eyed Wei Wuxian warily. He knew that Wei Wuxian was protective of his omega, and had challenged him even when Lan Zhan was in the wrong. But he still stood up and went to the bathroom door and knocked softly.

"He's not very talkative when he gets grumpy like that," Wei Wuxian said casually.

_I don’t need him to be,_ Lan Wangji almost replied, but he didn’t. He waited for a moment, then knocked again.

“What,” Lan Zhan said from inside.

“I’m coming in,” Lan Wangji replied. He gave the omega five seconds before he opened the door and walked in.

The room was several degrees hotter and the water in the tub steamed, suggesting that Lan Zhan had used his magic to heat it up. Lan Zhan sat facing the door with a scowl, his red and puffy eyes narrowed. He looked incredibly cute with his hair up in a bun on the top of his head, but the way Lan Zhan glared at him made Lan Wangji look away. He closed the door and then went to sit down with his back against the tub.

He sat there for a few moments and stared at the wall, listening to Lan Zhan sniffle and shift slightly in the water. Eventually Lan Zhan asked, “Did you come in here to rub it in?” His voice was thick.

“No,” Lan Wangji said.

“Just fuck off. I don’t want you here.”

Lan Wangji looked down at his lap and then at the door. He spoke quietly, though the room was silent enough for it to still sound normal. “When we were friends, Wei Ying went through my closet and found my box of personal items. It held my prostate massager and collection of porn books, almost all of them involving only alpha men. I came back to my room to find him reading it.”

The memory was a bittersweet one. He felt emotion thicken his throat and he swallowed it away, then sighed. “He couldn’t figure out why I was crying.”

He paused for a moment and the tears in his eyes surprised him, and he wiped them away quickly. “My entire life, there has never been a positive or neutral reaction to relations between alpha men. Sometimes it is met with disgust, others ridicule, but most often violence. Even my mother cried when she learned, though she only feared for my safety. This was all that I knew. So when Wei Ying gave no reaction, it felt… wrong. Like perhaps everything I had experienced was insignificant, that I was overreacting.”

The room went silent for a long moment, and Lan Wangji reflected. It had always seemed like a struggle for Wei Ying to understand his fears, but he had always been accommodating to them.

Then Lan Zhan whispered, “I understand.”

Lan Wangji closed his eyes and was relieved to find his olive branch accepted, though he imagined that it was only temporary. “Has he ever done this before?” he asked.

There was a pause and a slight swish of water, then, “Once.”

Lan Wangji sat with that, then Lan Zhan continued, “Not like this time. It was an offhand comment to a porn seller that insinuated things. I don’t think he even realized.”

Lan Wangji couldn’t imagine how he would feel if Wei Ying accidentally revealed his preferences to someone else like that, especially someone whose opinion mattered. Betrayal felt like an unfair reaction.

Lan Zhan’s voice was defensive now. “They’re just immune to the opinions of others. Anyone else would feel this way.”

Lan Wangji understood his meaning and didn’t argue against the minimizing of his and Lan Zhan’s similarities. It was correct, after all. Only the bold would be as nonchalant as the other two about it.

“I rarely hear about your kind,” he said.

Lan Zhan clicked his tongue. “The saying goes, ‘Wolves can be kept away with a weapon and a sturdy henhouse. But beware the fox that will slip in at night and in the morning leave you nothing but an empty coop.’ To alphas, we are something to shield their omega spouse and child from. To omegas… well, no hen wants to be alone with a fox.”

Lan Wangji absorbed that. It really was a different reality, and now he understood better why Lan Zhan mourned the loss of Wen Ning’s friendship.

“Why haven’t you told him?” he asked.

Apparently, that was the wrong thing to ask. Lan Zhan snapped, “You heard what he said to me. I told him not to do it again and he _laughed_.”

_Here we go._ Lan Wangji had thought they had made progress, but now he was annoyed at Lan Zhan again. “Perhaps if you were more genuine--”

“What, and be like you? I’m not going to cry in his arms.”

Lan Wangji sat up and turned a little to stare at him. Now his volume was above the low murmur they had kept it at so far as he said, “Of course not. You’re going to cry alone in the bathtub instead.”

Lan Zhan’s face twisted against more tears and he splashed the water at Lan Wangji. “Fuck off!” he exclaimed, his volume raising as well.

Lan Wangji turned back around and wiped his face with his sleeve with a heavy sigh.

When Lan Wangji re-entered the room, he was greeted by the sight of Wei Wuxian situated between Wei Ying's legs, kissing him fervently. He pulled away when he heard the creak of the door and turned to look at Lan Wangji, his hands still on Wei Ying's cheeks.

"Is he okay in there? I heard him yell at you," he said. He licked his lips and gently let go of Wei Ying who settled back against the pillows.

Lan Wangji only glanced at them and then looked away, choosing to go to his bag so he could write in his journal rather than look at them tangled together. "He's not," he said honestly.

Wei Wuxian huffed and shuffled to the end of the bed. He'd thought as much but it still hurt to hear. He glanced towards the door to the bath.

"Do you think he'll throw things at me if I go in there?" he asked.

"He might," Lan Wangji admitted. He wanted to offer advice and tell Wei Wuxian to talk to him gently, but he really didn't know Lan Zhan. What worked with Lan Wangji very well might be the opposite of what Lan Zhan needed. That thought both comforted and unsettled him.

"I'll survive with my balls intact, perhaps," Wei Wuxian said with a sigh. He got up from the bed and stretched, then walked over to the door to the bath. There, he paused for a moment before knocking twice and then walking inside.

Wei Wuxian was the last person Lan Zhan wanted to see. He knew that he looked pathetic and it was obvious he had been crying. He didn't want Wei Wuxian fussing over him right then; he just wanted to wallow in the bath, dammit!

"I'm fine," he said. "Go away."

Wei Wuxian ignored that and rolled up his sleeves, taking long strides as he walked towards Lan Zhan.

"You don't have to lie to me, I can smell the distress on you," he said softly. "But I'm not going to prod. Can I wash your hair for you?"

Lan Zhan eyed him warily. He didn't really want Wei Wuxian around him while he was upset, he didn't want Wei Wuxian to feel like he had to cheer him up. He knew his husband's tendency to cover up his feelings and make everyone else smile. But maybe having Wei Wuxian dote on him physically instead would be better. His love language was touch and acts of service, after all.

"Yes," he said after a moment.

At that, Wei Wuxian let out a hum and grabbed the soap so he could start washing Lan Zhan's hair. He took out his bun and massaged his scalp as he washed in the soap suds, then ran his fingers through the long strands in the way he liked.

"You always look so cute with wet hair, you know," he said.

"You also say I look so cute with my hair in a bun when I bathe," Lan Zhan teased softly, his eyes drifting shut. "Which is it?"

"Ahah, you got me. It's both. Maybe I just think you always look cute," Wei Wuxian replied. He carefully rinsed out the suds with big scoops of water. "That's to be expected though, as your husband, of course. I love you no matter what."

Lan Zhan tilted his head back to allow Wei Wuxian to rinse his hair. He reached up to take Wei Wuxian's wrist after he dumped a scoopful of water on him and pulled it closer so he could kiss the inside of it. _I know you do, and I don't deserve it,_ his kiss meant.

It made Wei Wuxian soften slightly. He leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead in response.

"I shouldn't have teased you in front of Wen Qing and Wen Ning. I know that your friendship with Wen Ning meant something to you," he mumbled. "But if... that aspect about you bothers him, it was never worth your time. You deserve better. It'll be okay."

Lan Zhan looked up at him and breathed a slow sigh through his nose. “You are so resilient,” he said gently. “You say such things with ease.”

He indulged in pressing his face against Wei Wuxian’s palm, closing his eyes. “You are right. But it will still hurt if that happens. I suppose I won’t have to find out. We are leaving tomorrow and will not stay when we return.”

Wei Wuxian hummed in acknowledgement. He debated over whether he wanted to say something after that (a rare occurrence for him who usually had no filter).

"I like how emotional you are," he said eventually. "Bottling things up like I do is bad for the heart but I... could not bear to let other people see when I'm hurt. If I gave up on that, who would keep up the positivity?" He took a deep breath himself, stroking Lan Zhan's cheek.

Lan Zhan hummed and nuzzled against his hand. “You assume a burden that isn’t yours. You’re allowed to be hurt by things. And perhaps positivity isn’t saying things are okay when they’re not, but... saying that it’s okay to not be okay. And saying that things will improve.” It was something that Lan Zhan needed to learn as well, he knew. His mother had told him this wisdom many times; she was a counselor as well as a healer for the university.

"Mmm... whatever did I do to deserve a husband so smart?" Wei Wuxian cooed. He chuckled lightly and leaned over fully so he could pepper Lan Zhan's face in kisses.

As always, that made it hard not to smile. Lan Zhan reached up to tug on Wei Wuxian’s hair a little affectionately. He appreciated the show of vulnerability Wei Wuxian had given him, so he offered one up in return. (And maybe he should follow his own advice too.) “I will try not to let this make me feel guilty about my desires,” he whispered.

"I'm always here to support you. And I mean... I don't blame you. Wei Ying is a hot piece of ass, right?" Wei Wuxian said with a laugh.

That lifted some of the weight off of Lan Zhan’s heart. He smiled again and nodded. “Absolutely,” he said. “It is an objective fact.”

He scooted down a bit so he could dunk his head under the water and scrub to make extra sure his hair was free of suds. When he came back up he said, “The veil only exacerbates it.”

"Right? Like a mysterious kind of beauty... Your alpha self has good taste," Wei Wuxian replied. He moved over to grab Lan Zhan some towels in case he was done with his bath.

Lan Zhan stood up and wrung out his hair, then took the towel and carefully climbed out of the bath. He had really taken the bath to comfort himself more than get clean since he wasn’t dirty before, and he enjoyed the textile sensations of the soap, then the towel and then the lotions afterwards.

When they finally went back into the room, Lan Wangji was dressed for bed and writing in a notebook on the floor. He met the alpha’s eyes and they stared at each other for a moment. Lan Zhan dared him to make a comment, but he only looked back at his notebook.

“I am assuming it won’t be a problem for us to leave during the day tomorrow?” Lan Wangji asked. “Wen Qing did not seem concerned. No one will ask about us?”

"I'm pretty sure there's a back exit out of here that Wen Qing has access to, we should be fine," Wei Wuxian said. He stretched and then leaned over to press a kiss on Lan Zhan's cheek before he got out his own night clothes.

Lan Zhan blushed and went to the bed. He pulled out the stuffed animal that Lan Wangji had left from behind the pillows and then got under the covers. Usually about now he would just be finishing up his nightly self-study, but his body clock said that it was time for bed already.

“How are we going to sleep?” he asked.

Lan Wangji looked up. “Wei Ying and I can sleep on a bedroll if need—“ he trailed off when he saw Little Blue in Lan Zhan’s arms. He had forgotten about the stuffed animal, and it relieved him to see that it was still taken care of. Lan Zhan followed his gaze and then tightened his arms around it. Lan Wangji wasn’t bitter even though Little Blue was his; he had Wei Ying to hold onto, anyways.

"There isn't enough room, we'll sleep on the bedroll," Wei Ying said.

"Alright, if you're sure," Wei Wuxian replied. Once he was changed, he joined Lan Zhan on the bed.

Lan Zhan got comfortable on the bed while Lan Wangji pulled out the bedroll. He was disappointed that he wouldn’t be able to cuddle with Wei Ying, but he covered it up and took pleasure in snuggling into his mate instead, the stuffed animal tucked between them.

Wei Wuxian pressed a kiss to Lan Zhan's forehead and wrapped his arms around him tightly. No matter what, he loved this man so very much. They would get through this.

"I want to be cuddled too," Wei Ying said to Lan Wangji, pouting at him as he laid down on the bed roll and made grabby hands towards his mate.

Lan Wangji crooned in response and picked Wei Ying up so he could lay down and hold the omega on top of him. Without a word, he put out the lights and closed his eyes.

Wei Ying purred happily now that he was safely wrapped in his alpha's arms. He closed his eyes and fell asleep shortly after, awaiting the day ahead of them.


	10. Into the Ruins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Last chapter: Lan Wangji and Wei Ying arrived in the other world and got an assignment from Wen Qing to find something. Lan Zhan got upset with Wei Wuxian and then almost had a bonding moment with Lan Wangji. Instead, he made up with his husband like always.
> 
> This chapter: They go on an errand for Wen Qing.

As Wei Wuxian had said, getting out of the estate was no problem. Wen Qing escorted them out the back and saw them off just in case anyone was watching, and then they set off into the forest. It was going to be a few days of travel, since they didn't have a better way of transportation than walking. Lan Wangji was clearly used to exerting himself for long periods of time, since he showed no sign of exhaustion and went about cooking them lunch when they rested at midday, then carried Wei Ying for much of the second half of the day.

Lan Zhan's legs were burning by the time they stopped for the night, and when he plopped down on the ground they tingled. He rested for a few minutes and then took the initiative to cook dinner while Lan Wangji set up the tent. Lan Wangji was excited to show off his tent, which was a birthday present from his mother and uncle. It was roomy with eight feet to one side and seven to the other, and it was relatively easy to set up. He was able to use sturdy sticks to hold it up and apart, by shielding them with defense magic while he hammered them into the ground with a rock. He had always used tents that were open in the front and back, so it was nice to have something that was closed all the way around. He picked a spot that was smooth, so he could sleep on the ground somewhat comfortably and give the other two his bedroll. Once their bags were in the tent it wasn't so roomy, but Wei Ying would most likely sleep on top of him anyway.

Lan Zhan finished putting together their dinner of rice and vegetables and they ate silently while watching the sun slip over the horizon.

"My feet ache," Wei Ying whined. He's kicked off his shoes and started massaging his feet. He didn't want to waste precious magical energy on healing such a thing but that didn't mean he couldn't complain.

"Yeah, mine too," Wei Wuxian sighed, munching away at his own food. "But we'll get there, it'll be fine."

"We can rest more frequently if needed," Lan Wangji said once he was finished eating. "I will clean the dishes, we passed a stream nearby."

Lan Zhan was grateful for that. He set down his plate and forced himself to get to his feet without groaning, then went over to the tent to go collapse on the bedroll that had been laid out. It was a nice one, and he would be glad to get away from the bugs. Even in November, so far south there were mosquitos.

Wei Wuxian followed and then clambered into the bedroll with Lan Zhan once Lan Wangji whisked away his dish. He leaned over to press a kiss to his cheek. "All tuckered out, huh?" he said.

Lan Zhan gave a tired hum and looked at him lazily. Then a yawn pulled at him and he moved his head away, bringing a hand up to catch it. He glanced out of the tent and over at Wei Ying, who was sitting outside and watching towards where Lan Wangji had gone. He looked so small... He shifted a little as though he wanted to get up, but he didn't.

"Go outside for a little while," he said, patting Wei Wuxian gently, assuming he would understand his meaning.

Wei Wuxian glanced in the direction Lan Zhan was looking, noticing Wei Ying, then shifting his gaze back to Lan Zhan in understanding. He smiled and leaned over to steal one quick kiss. "Don't tire yourselves out too much," he said softly.

He got up from where he had sat and climbed out of tent. On his way out, he pat Wei Ying's shoulder and whispered in his ear. "Lan Zhan wants to see you." Wei Ying blinked owlishly and nodded, then climbed into the tent himself.

Lan Zhan pushed himself up and then scooted over to the front of the tent so he could tie the flaps closed. He lit a faint magelight so that he could see as he took hold of Wei Ying's waist and tugged him over. "Come lay down," he murmured.

"Wei Wuxian was right, you really did want to cuddle," Wei Ying teased lightly as he was dragged down onto the bedroll with Lan Zhan. He hummed happily and wrapped his arm around Lan Zhan's middle, curling up next to him.

Lan Zhan rolled on top of him and buried his face in Wei Ying's neck. Oh, he had _missed_ that sweet omega scent. Wei Ying really was a treat, the loveliest omega to ever exist. He kissed his soft skin and rubbed his lips against it. Maybe it was because he was finally resting after a long day of walking, but he was sure that there was more to the way his body relaxed and his mind softened.

It was like that night he and Wei Ying spent together, messing around until they were exhausted and then falling asleep tangled up. He did that with Wei Wuxian frequently, and it was always a blessing, but there had been a different element that time, something that existed in this space now.

Or rather, something that _didn't_ exist. He felt _free._ He rarely complained about the situation they had been put in. It wasn't Wei Wuxian's fault, nor was it his family's or Wen Qing's. He sometimes complained to Wen Ning, but he never expected it to be reciprocated due to the other omega's upbringing. But just because he kept quiet didn't mean the collar around his neck didn't grate on him. He loved belonging to Wei Wuxian, in every way that he could; he trusted Wei Wuxian with his life, and having that name above his sternum was his lifeline. Still, that didn't make being _owned_ easy on his wellbeing.

He reached up to unbuckle the collar he had on, then tossed it to the other side of the tent. Just as quickly he reached for Wei Ying's, his fingers shaking slightly as he took it off. He didn't notice the tears until one fell on Wei Ying's hanfu and stained it a dark navy. He wondered if the heat suppressants he had taken were making him more emotional than usual. This was the second night in a row that he'd cried.

Wei Ying blinked up at him and then smiled, reaching for Lan Zhan's cheeks and rubbing the tears away with his thumbs. It was strangely freeing being here with him - and especially removing the collars. He hated that damn thing; the memories of being locked up in that dungeon with Wen Chao still haunted him, still gave him nightmares.

"It's okay," he said softly. "It's just us. Just you and me and no alphas at all."

Lan Zhan smiled and squeezed out more tears, then reached up to wipe them away. He wasn't sad, though perhaps his tears were because of the stress he had been under for so long. They were also from relief. He tossed Wei Ying's collar over near where his own lay and then settled down on top of him so he could kiss him.

If Wei Wuxian's kisses were like a rich, savory dish with a touch of spice, Wei Ying's were like his beloved fruit pastries that pulled him in with their sweetness. He couldn't stop kissing him for several minutes, needing to get his fill before he did anything else. They weren't hungry kisses, but indulgent ones.

After a while, he kissed down Wei Ying's throat. He nipped at the slightly reddened skin where the collar had been, then moved further down. He scooted back and folded his knees under him as he settled between Wei Ying's legs. There was no feeling except affection when he nuzzled between his legs and over the silk of his hanfu. Never had he been so careless with such a gesture.

Wei Ying's breath hitched as he watched him. His lips already felt swollen from all the fervent kissing and he licked over them idly. He reached down to glide his fingers through Lan Zhan's hair, eyes trained on him. In a way, he supposed he should've known that there was never _just_ cuddling with him, but he wasn't complaining. This kind of intimacy was nice, especially now that they were free of the collars, it was like they could pretend that everything was okay and normal - if only for a little while.

"Lan Zhan..." he breathed softly.

Lan Zhan purred a little, feeling a smile on his lips. He worried briefly that Wei Wuxian would see what he was doing through the shadows against the canvas of the tent. Should he put out the magelight before he actually did what he was thinking about doing? Well, he didn’t feel right hiding from his mate, even if Wei Wuxian might get his feelings hurt. Lan Zhan had only sucked his cock five times, and each time it was purely for Wei Wuxian’s pleasure rather than his own enjoyment. But surely he would understand, if he asked about it.

Lan Zhan worked on stripping Wei Ying from the waist down. Before he did any of that, he wanted a taste of something else. He pushed one of Wei Ying’s legs up and then leaned down to lick over his entrance before pushing his tongue inside.

Wei Ying immediately threw his head back and whimpered at the contact, arousal buzzing through his body. He loved being eaten out - just as much as he loved giving oral himself. That's why he couldn't stop himself from bucking up towards Lan Zhan's talented mouth. "Oh...mm... us omegas really know each other's bodies best, huh?" he said.

Lan Zhan shifted a little to get more comfortable and hummed in agreement. He was glad he had washed his hands in the stream before serving the food because now he could easily slip in a finger to prove Wei Ying’s words.

He ate Wei Ying out for a little while, teasing his sweet spot with his finger, before he decided to move on. He first moved only an inch upwards so he could take Wei Ying’s balls in his mouth. They were so small and cute! He purred happily and kept rubbing two fingers under that sweet spot, then he pulled his mouth off and ran his tongue up Wei Ying’s length. His tongue was sore by now, so he went ahead and took the head into his mouth so he could suck instead of lick. And similarly as before, he delighted in how much smaller Wei Ying was.

To say Wei Ying was surprised was an understatement. He knew that Lan Zhan didn't like to suck cock, this was a well-established fact, but here he was... doing this to him... But he had no time to think too hard on it. He simply enjoyed the sensations, whining and whimpering as Lan Zhan took him into his mouth. So hot and wet... There was a unique pleasure to Lan Zhan doing this, even though he knew Lan Wangji enjoyed it.

"Ahh... oh Gods, Lan Zhan..." he rasped. He took another shaky inhale and tugged a little on his hair. "Your mouth feels so good...!"

Lan Zhan loved how Wei Ying squirmed under him. _He_ was making him do that, his mouth was drawing those reactions and sounds from him. He took more into his mouth and started to slowly move his head up and down, taking his sweet time. The noises his mouth made when he sucked were obscene, but he didn't care. He couldn't get over how natural this felt. As the minutes went on, he could only relish in the feeling of freedom and affection.

Wei Ying knew he wouldn't last long when Lan Zhan was truly putting in his all to make him feel this good. He babbled nonsense between punched out gasps and moans but soon he knew he had to warn his loving partner. "Ah... oh, Lan... Lan Zhan, I'm...! I'm going to cum...!" he cried.

Lan Zhan considered whether he wanted to pull off or not. He thought the taste of cum was gross, but he was going to have to clean it up somehow anyway. He could eat Wei Ying out for a bit afterwards to replace the taste if he needed to. He pulled up so that just the head was in his mouth, and started to thrust his fingers fast rather than curl and rub them like he had been doing so far.

That was enough to drive Wei Ying over the edge. The fact that Lan Zhan was still going surprised him but there was nothing he could do - Lan Zhan had clearly made his choice. With a cry, Wei Ying bucked his hips one last time and came. He spilt hot into Lan Zhan's mouth and then panted as he flopped down against the bed roll.

Lan Zhan bore through the taste long enough to swallow, though he couldn't keep the disgusted look off his face. He quickly moved back down and shoved his tongue inside Wei Ying. The slick covered up the taste and filled his senses with sweetness, and he hummed in satisfaction before licking and swallowing more of it.

"You didn't have to- ahh!" Wei Ying's words were cut off by another cry when Lan Zhan's tongue licked broadly over his sensitive pussy. "Oh fuck mm... are you gonna fuck me?"

Lan Zhan hummed and licked a few more times before he responded. "I missed your pussy. Would you mind if I did?"

Wei Ying let out a soft laugh. "Of course not. If I did, I wouldn't ask. You've done a lot of work for me already today, sit back. Let me ride you?" He sat up and gently pushed Lan Zhan down.

Lan Zhan was a little hesitant, though he followed Wei Ying's guidance and lay down on the bedroll. He liked being an active participant when it came to Wei Ying, but he _was_ tired. He untied his pants and toed off his boots while he watched Wei Ying lazily. "You're so beautiful," he murmured.

Wei Ying smiled and preened at the praise. He shifted to fully untie his hanfu so it hung off his body, exposing his naked body underneath. Then, he slid his hands down Lan Zhan's body, rubbing a hand over his cock briefly before letting him grind against him. He let out of a soft sigh and shot Lan Zhan a mischievous look before his fingers delved a little further down to rub over Lan Zhan's pussy over the fabric of his pants. "You're beautiful as well you know," he said.

Lan Zhan’s legs spread apart before he could think about it. He felt vulnerable, but not in the usual way. It was... a safe kind of vulnerable, despite the oxymoron. “I still want to make you something,” he said in a small voice. “When we get back to Gusu...”

"I'd like that. I'd like that a lot," Wei Ying said. He couldn't help leaning down to kiss him before sliding his hand under the hem of Lan Zhan's pants.

Lan Zhan’s hips shifted up, pushing into his hand as he chased the kiss. He grabbed Wei Ying’s robes but then quickly decided to run his hands along Wei Ying’s body instead to feel his soft skin. When he relaxed back into the bedroll he murmured, “I want to keep my pants on, if possible.”

Wei Ying nodded. He remembered when Lan Wangji was quite embarrassed about being looked at by him. It was interesting to see the similarities between the two of them. He opted to tug Lan Zhan's cock out over his pants and stroked it with a soft hum.

Lan Zhan’s head pushed back into the bedroll and his back arched as he squirmed at the touch. His breath hitched and he held it for a moment to keep from making any noise. When he did let his breath out it came with a soft and strained, “Wei Ying...”

"I felt a little self-conscious the first time I saw your dick you know... I've never seen another male omega naked before and I didn't really know... what to expect other than what _I_ have. And I'm kind of small compared to you," Wei Ying said. He kept stroking him and then lined him up against his wet pussy, letting him rub against the slick but not push in. "But I'm far past that now. You have a pretty cock and well...haha... it's perfect for fucking me with, isn't it?"

Lan Zhan’s hands went to grip the bedroll as he strained against the urge to press up into Wei Ying. “Yes, but,” he breathed, “I’m the outlier, haven’t you ever seen porn with omega men?”

"Only once... pretty expensive book Lan Wangji owns... caught me reading it in his room. Spunky little omega boy, taking whatever dicks as he pleased... admirable, really," Wei Ying replied. He laughed lightly, getting it out his system before he slowly started to ease down onto Lan Zhan's cock.

Lan Zhan recalled what Lan Wangji had said about finding Wei Ying with his porn, but he didn’t have the chance to think about it. His hips twitched and he had to put focused effort into keeping them still. He forced himself to take a deep, shaky breath and relax his aching muscles. “Can you... make something to tie my hips down?” he asked.

"That eager, huh?" Wei Ying teased. He grinned and summoned his magic nonetheless, creating a bit of smooth rope to tie around Lan Zhan's hips and attach to the floor. Then, he settled all the way down on his cock and let out a soft moan as he rocked his hips. "Do _you_ own a lot of omega porn? Can I see it some day?"

Lan Zhan liked the restraint since it meant he could relax and not have to use energy to keep himself still. He pushed up against the rope and closed his eyes briefly as he got lost in the feeling of being fully inside Wei Ying. “Of course,” he said after a moment, his voice a bit rough. “When we get back to Gusu.”

Wei Ying let out a satisfied hum and rocked his hips again. He slid his hands up and down Lan Zhan's chest before slowly lifting himself up only to slam himself back down on his cock with a moan. "Oh... I haven't been fucked since my heat," he whined. "Been so...ahh... busy."

Lan Zhan bent his knees and grabbed Wei Ying’s waist and dug his nails in. He swallowed and forced himself to breathe. This was a test of his patience for sure.

"We should... spend a heat together sometime," Wei Ying breathed. He rolled his hips once more in Lan Zhan's grasp then started to bounce at a rough, steady pace.

That was much better. Lan Zhan arched his back and his eyes fluttered closed as he basked in the pleasure. “You sure I would — ah, be enough? With what you usually get...” he smiled a little bit in amusement.

Wei Ying let out a soft laugh, interspersed with moans as he kept bouncing on his cock. "Maybe you'll just have to fuck me twice as hard for twice as long with ah... all that omega stamina you have."

“If I’m not in heat I will,” Lan Zhan mumbled, focused on how Wei Ying moved. It was mesmerizing, along with the wet sounds and the sweet scent of slick. Even though it was frustrating having to keep still and not push up into him, he enjoyed watching this. He wasn’t going to be able to chase his orgasm this time, but he knew that that would only make it feel even better.

"Maybe you'd even knock me up fucking me that hard," Wei Ying teased. He rubbed a hand over his stomach as he moved, knowing how much Lan Wangji liked it when he said things like that.

Lan Zhan wasn’t prepared. He tensed up and made a choked sound, and the pleasure built in his body. _Gods,_ that was an arousing thought. “I could,” he insisted, then bit his lip.

Jackpot. Lan Zhan was just as predictable as Lan Wangji. "Oh yeah? Ahh... would you like that, er-gege? Fucking me nice and full until my belly is all swollen..." Wei Ying said.

Lan Zhan squirmed and tried to move against the rope in vain. He was getting closer, but that only meant his frustration grew. After a moment he stopped struggling and grabbed Wei Ying’s cock and stroked it. “I’d breed you like an animal,” he breathed.

Wei Ying let out a long moan and with a swish of his hand, he let the ropes disappear. "Prove it," he challenged.

Finally free, Lan Zhan pulled Wei Ying onto his side and sat up. He grabbed one of Wei Ying’s legs and lifted it up, then straddled his other thigh and guided himself back inside that sweet pussy. He groaned softly, then he started to pound away. He was still exhausted from the day of walking, but his desperation was enough to get him to storm past it. His thighs burned as he thrust into Wei Ying fast and hard. It only took a minute for him to cum like that, his thrusts stuttering at the same time as the magelight fizzled out due to his break in concentration. The burn only made the orgasm more intense and relieving, and he moaned.

Wei Ying gasped and let out a strangled moan. He clawed at the ground below him as he was pounded into. This was perfect and he cried out again when Lan Zhan came inside him. He reached down and grabbed his cock, giving a few fast jerks before he came too.

Lan Zhan relaxed and pulled his pants back up before he collapsed on the bedroll, his breaths heavy but slowly evening out. “I missed that,” he sighed.

Wei Ying on the other hand shucked off his hanfu and crawled over naked to wrap himself around Lan Zhan's side. "Me too," he said.

Lan Zhan used the last bit of energy he had left to snuggle into Wei Ying and find a comfortable position. “If you want the alphas to come in here now you can call them,” he said with a yawn. “I just needed some time with you...”

Wei Ying hummed in thought. He rested for a moment before calling out for Lan Wangji in case he was outside, but when he got no response, he called for Wei Wuxian. Moments later, Wei Wuxian crept into the tent. He crooned at the sight of the two omegas curled up together post-coital. "I could eat you both up right now," he said.

Wei Wuxian’s croon, when added to the warmth of Wei Ying’s body, brought a purr out of Lan Zhan. “Come lay behind me,” he rumbled. Nothing sounded better than being in the middle of a Wei Ying sandwich.

Wei Wuxian was more than eager to do that. He clambered over, kicking off his shoes and his jacket before laying down on the bedroll next to Lan Zhan, wrapping his arms around his other side and nuzzling up against his neck.

Lan Zhan was long asleep by the time Lan Wangji came into the tent. Wanting to avoid the others, he had washed himself up and changed clothes, and also gathered some food for them to have in the morning. He wasn’t entirely surprised to find Wei Ying naked. He expected himself to feel some kind of ire towards Lan Zhan, but really, he was happy to see that Wei Ying was well-loved. Even though Lan Zhan was a different person, it didn’t feel like _someone else_ was sleeping with his omega. They were... connected, even if they were different. With a soft croon, Lan Wangji pulled out his blanket from his bag and carefully draped it over Wei Ying and leaned down to kiss his temple. Then he folded the robes he had worn that day and set them down about two feet away so he could use them as a pillow.

Wei Ying had long since fallen asleep as well when Lan Wangji came in, even though he instinctively cuddled up to the warm blanket. Wei Wuxian, on the other hand, was only dozing, and his eyes fluttered open at the shift of fabric not too far from them. "Lan Wangji," he whispered with a tired smile. "What are you doing all the way over there? Come cuddle up to your omega."

Lan Wangji hesitated for a moment, then he carefully scooted to the side. There wasn’t enough room for him on the bedroll so he just lay on his back where it was most comfortable, with his side pressed to Wei Ying’s back.

"You call that cuddling?" Wei Wuxian teased, still speaking in a hushed voice. He rolled his eyes, still smiling. "You're worse than a virgin."

Lan Wangji ignored him. He reached over to get Little Blue from his bag and tucked it in his arm. Truly, if he tried to cuddle it would be a battle of finding a comfortable position since Wei Ying was on the bedroll and Lan Wangji was not. He was perfectly content with this, feeling Wei Ying’s body next to his and feeling his breathing.

“Goodnight,” he whispered, signaling that he was done listening.

Wei Wuxian let out a soft puff of laughter before closing his eyes and snuggling back up to Lan Zhan. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep shortly after that.

The directions they had been given were vague, but Lan Wangji was optimistic. If they ended up going to the wrong place, either they'd find nothing or someone would be there -- which would signify that they were indeed in the wrong place. Wen Qing had said it was a retired worksite. Judging by the area, all of the worksites were probably in the ruins, dungeons, catacombs, crypts, and other mostly or at least partially underground areas.

Lan Wangji found a secluded spot to hide a bag with his most valuable items and the things that would weigh him down. He placed a defense spell on it and imbued it with magic so it would stay for a time, then led the group on.

When they reached the first worksite that Wen Qing had pointed out, there were a few small, roughly made buildings around a large circular pit in the terrain. The pit was manmade with steep walls dropping down about two meters, and a stairway leading down. On the opposite wall was a doorway that was partly open, and Lan Wangji scoffed at the disrespect.

This was no doubt a location left behind by an extinct civilization. Leave it to the Wens to abandon a place like this and not even seal it. Next to the door was a rough-looking sign that read "no trespassing." He ducked his head to get inside and then headed down the worn steps, casting a magelight to brighten the interior. It was a few minutes of descending stairs and going down hallways before they got to a room that had anything in it. It was clean, at least compared to most places like this that Lan Wangji had been to. There were new tables set up with books, papers, scrolls, bottles, and other things. There was an arch on the far wall leading to a hallway with more rooms.

"We're looking for something with magical properties," Lan Wangji said softly as he headed down the hallway to explore the area. "And if you happen to find a triangular amulet, alert me."

He doubted that the second piece would be so easily found, but he really didn't know for sure. There was a chance that it was in the Wen estate like the amulet had been, but if it came from the star society then there was a chance that it was in a worksite.

The star society was more ancient than the civilizations that made most of these locations what they were today, but all of the things left behind from the star society were found in the same locations, usually in the deepest parts of them. Lan Wangji thought that the star society had probably made all of these, but later societies had inhabited them and changed them to fit their needs, only leaving parts of it untouched.

Wei Ying had chosen to wrap himself around Lan Wangji as they walked once they were down into the pit. He probably shouldn't have chosen to wear his light pink hanfu today since the ends were likely going to get dirty, but it was too late now. The last time he'd gone to a place like this with Lan Wangji, he'd almost died to a trap so he was cautious about his step, unlike Wei Wuxian who seemed to be walking by Lan Zhan's side carelessly.

"This place is huge," Wei Wuxian said, looking around. "How come we've never heard of it before?"

"There are many places like this," Lan Wangji said. As he spoke, he wrapped an arm around Wei Ying. "Most of them are places where previous civilizations buried their dead, and some were built to protect some kind of treasured item or person. It wasn't until recently that modern people learned how to unseal them. They are dangerous most of the time, and are protected with both physical and magical traps. It is most likely that researchers would disable all traps before studying an area, but we should be careful regardless. Avoid any plates in the floor that look like they are separated from the rest. Watch for strings low to the ground, and pay attention to the floor, walls and ceiling for markings or sigils."

Wei Wuxian hummed and looked around himself.

"I tripped a trap last time I went to a place like this," Wei Ying said. "It was lucky that Lan Wangji was there for me." He punctuated his words by nuzzling against Lan Wangji's arm.

Lan Wangji leaned down to kiss the top of Wei Ying's head in response, then led him into the room to the right. It had some large urns filling up the room and a desk with papers on it. Lan Wangji instantly recognized the pattern on the wall in the far corner and stepped away from Wei Ying so that he could go inspect it.

This was a puzzle door! And by the looks of it, it hadn't been opened yet. That was strange, given that this was an abandoned worksite. Perhaps the scholars just hadn't figured out how to use magic to open such a door and didn't find it worth exploring. Either way, it offered an opportunity to search for the second piece, since these doors led to deeper caverns and tombs which often held valuable ancient treasures.

Wei Ying watched as Wei Wuxian followed Lan Wangji over and peeked at what he was looking at.

"What is it?" he asked.

“It’s a puzzle, once solved the door will open.” Lan Wangji said as he stood in front of it and studied the intricate carvings.

He dabbled in many kinds of magic even if he didn't study them extensively, but his magic for fixing broken objects had unexpected uses. He put his hands against the cold stone and sent his magic through, and felt how it seeped into the puzzle and inquired about what the puzzle's natural state was. Slowly but surely, the puzzle slid around itself as the pieces clicked into place, then the cracks and carvings glowed bright blue as the door lowered itself into the floor. The other side was dark and it emitted that stale, ancient smell that Lan Wangji had grown used to.

Wei Wuxian blinked owlishly as the door opened up. _Wow!_ Lan Wangji really was good at this stuff. With such a seal, there was surely something special behind the door, right?

He moved out from looking over Lan Wangji's shoulder and took a single step past the door so he could lean in to look around the dark room that had opened up. He balanced himself with a hand on the wall and felt his finger push down on something.

"Uh oh," he whispered under his breath.

"What, what is it?" Wei Ying asked.

Everyone suddenly faltered at the sight of some kind of misty gas spraying towards them. Wei Ying moved his arm to shield his face from the gas, coughing into the fabric of his robes. Wei Wuxian on the other hand, stumbled a little and had to lean against the doorway, suddenly clutching at his head and doubling over.

Lan Wangji had foolishly been distracted by wanting to tell Wei Ying about how he could go in and search for the second piece and didn't consider that Wei Wuxian might go in. He was slow to react, and he held up a manual defense barrier to keep the gas out -- but only after everyone had inhaled it, so it was useless.

He recognized the gas, but as he tried to think about what it was, he found it hard to think. _Antidote, antidote... Where? Where is it? I can't think, I need to focus!_

Lan Zhan, on the other hand, started to panic. He had wandered over just as the door had opened, and now they were surrounded in some kind of fog. His eyes watered and he choked, and he forced out, "Wei Wuxian? _Wei Wuxian?"_ He had to stop and cough.

Wei Wuxian couldn't breathe. The gas was absolutely suffocating and his whole body felt clouded. He let his eyes close for just a moment, and when they opened again, some of the fog seemed to clear. There were... figures. In the room. Why did they look so familiar?

"A-Xian," they whispered in his ears.

That voice... Wei Wuxian rubbed his eyes and shakily straightened up. His head was pounding, throbbing, he could feel his heartbeat in his throat. Those figures... They were... He knew them. He felt it, a raw sensation in his heart. His legs started to move of their own accord, heavy as iron weights.

"A-Xian, baby, come here." Another whisper. They were like a warm blanket around his brain. "We missed you so much. Oh, honey."

"Mama..." Wei Wuxian said softly, tears filling his eyes.

That's right. He finally recognised who was talking to him. His birth parents! They were just ahead of him, waiting for him in the darkness, within reach. Before he could think anymore about it, his legs were pulling him towards them.

Lan Wangji was experiencing something similar. At first it seemed like Wei Ying had walked past him and into the room, and was calling him over with an excited voice. However, he was so distressed by the predicament they were in and how to fix it that he didn't listen until the tone changed. Now he could smell the sharp scent of Wei Ying's fear, followed by the sound of him crying out in pain.

Lan Wangji still didn't know what was going on and he wanted to stop and wait until he could get a solid grasp on reality, but if there was anything that took priority over his own state of mind, it was Wei Ying being in danger. He rushed into the room towards the voice, but it didn't seem to be getting closer as he approached. He noticed the vibration of the ground and the sound of the puzzle door closing, but it wasn't important enough for him to really think about it. He stopped walking, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.

"Wei Ying?" he called.

Wei Ying, who was still firmly planted behind the alphas and coughing through the gas, finally managed to look up and breathe when he heard the thud of the door closing. Immediately, he ran over and started to pound on the closed door.

"Lan Wangji!" he shrieked, knowing that his husband was on the other side.

Lan Wangji heard the shriek, and he turned to rush back in that direction, but then he heard it again behind him. The sheer impossibility of it registered and he stopped in his tracks again. _Think, think, think. FOCUS._ His mind was so clouded, his thoughts were almost as confusing as Wei Ying's voice coming from different directions. He felt a strong sense of urgency to protect his omega, along with desperation with the realization that he didn't know where Wei Ying was. He noticed that the room was pitch black. Was it this dark before? He didn't think so...

"Baby, come here," said another Wei Ying right next to him. "Don't listen to all of that, it's not real. It's okay, I'm okay, I'm safe, come here..."

He turned to walk towards that voice. He knew that something was wrong, but the temptation of that relief, the desire to keep Wei Ying safe in his arms was too much. It was the outlier, when the shrieks and cries of pain were pulling him in opposite directions. This one made sense.

It was the stench of ancient, rotting flesh that woke him up. It dug deep, past his hazy conscious and subconscious mind and into the reflexive state of action that had been conditioned into him through experience. The sharp pain of a sword slicing into his upper arm spurred him into action and he cast a defense spell on himself to protect himself from further injury.

His mind was clearing up, though not fast enough. He didn't want to risk casting a magelight and losing his defense, but he needed to see. He cast a small one and used the dim light to assess the immediate situation to the best of his ability. There were multiple undead soldiers in front of him, and Wei Wuxian was behind him. His vision swam uncomfortably and Wei Wuxian seemed to shift into Wei Ying and back. In both forms, he looked dazed and not at all aware of the danger. Lan Wangji went to cast a defense spell on whichever one it was, and he let his magelight die.

“Wei Ying?” he asked, just as he registered the sound of muffled shouting behind them.

Right. The door had closed. The mist in the air was a trap, and it was responsible for his state of mind. Who exactly was standing next to him, and could he trust his own mind to be able to tell?

The gas was slowly fading away now that the door had shut. Wei Wuxian still continued to stumble forward, mumbling a tear whine of "Mama" with every few steps. Until, eventually, he bumped right into a figure.

"Mama...?" Wei Wuxian asked again, blinking through the darkness to try and make out what or who he had walked into.

Lan Wangji still couldn’t tell which person this was. Wei Ying and Wei Wuxian were already so similar that even minimal mental warping of reality made them indistinguishable. It didn’t matter, he supposed. He pulled him tight into his arms and decided to stay put for a moment until his mental clarity returned in full. The sound of metal clanging against his defense barrier filled the room, and his mind was split between focusing on that and deciding that the height of the person in his arms meant that this was Wei Wuxian.

Wei Wuxian suddenly started to cry. He fell completely into Lan Wangji's arms, clutching onto him desperately as he sobbed. "Mama...Mama..."

Wei Wuxian was hallucinating about his mother. Lan Wangji felt a bone-deep sadness after this realization. He crooned, though he wasn’t sure if it would register to the man. The scent of a croon couldn’t begin to cover the stench of the undead that was so overpowering. Wei Wuxian must still be under the influence of the mist. How could he calm him down while he came back to reality? He was not a warrior, and this situation would undoubtedly be a lot to handle for a civilian. What would help him calm down?

“Wei Wuxian,” he murmured in his ear in a soft, light tone. “Wei Wuxian, come back. Your mother isn’t here. It’s me. Come back, stay with me.”

The shaking of Wei Wuxian's shoulders began to slow. He sniffled and looked up at the man holding him, his eyes glazed. It took him a few more moments listening to the croon and soft voice for him to come back to him.

"Oh... oh fuck," he mumbled. He pulled back and rubbed his eyes. "What... where...?"

Lan Wangji kept his hands on Wei Wuxian so he didn’t lose him in the darkness. “Wei Wuxian,” he said evenly, back in his normal voice. “We were caught in a trap. We were hallucinating. Now we are inside the tomb. Can you repeat that? Do you understand what is happening?”

Wei Wuxian let out a soft grumble. He wiped away the rest of the tears that had fell down his cheeks.

"Trap... we're inside..." he said.

A garbled choking sound came from beside them. Lan Wangji pulled Wei Wuxian into his arms again and angled him away from it. The defense barrier would protect them both, but he didn’t want the feeling of a sword bouncing off his skin to frighten Wei Wuxian in the vulnerable mental state he was in, especially if it aimed for his head.

“There are undead soldiers around us,” he said. “They cannot hurt us while I have a barrier up. I need to fight them, but to do that I need you to conjure a light. They will look frightening, but do not fear. I will take care of it. Just keep the light up and stay where you are. Do you understand?”

Wei Wuxian nodded and took a deep breath. He was gradually coming back to himself. Moments later, he managed to summon his magic so that he could form a magelight.

Now that he could see, Lan Wangji calmed down a bit. He stepped away and unsheathed his sword. It only took a few swings of Bichen to dismantle the undead; it seemed like they were of the weaker kind. He could now see that they were in a hallway that curved around a corner a few meters down.

He turned back to Wei Wuxian to assess him. He noticed that the muffled shouting from the other side of the door had stopped. It had been so faint earlier, so he knew that there was no way to communicate through the door.

Well, there might actually be.

He approached the door and hit it with Bichen's hilt. Two evenly spaced hits, then two rapid hits, then two evenly spaced ones again. He hoped that Wei Ying would be able to hear or feel it.

There was a pause before a response - the quiet thumping of a fist on the other side.

"Are you... talking? On the other side?" Wei Wuxian asked.

"Mm." Lan Wangji returned the same pattern in response. "He said that they are okay. I sent back the same. We should move forward. This door is sealed, but there will be at least one other exit." He went through his bag so he could get a healing potion to take care of the gash in his arm.

Once that was done, he turned to face Wei Wuxian and stared at him with serious eyes. "Usually I defer to you, but this is my domain and therefore I must demand your obedience. We are trapped in here because you entered without permission. That cannot happen again. There are too many traps that you can set off without awareness. You will ride on my back and contribute nothing but light. You may use your conjuration to slow the undead, but no weapons. If you do anything without my permission, I will take matters into my own hands. Do you understand?"

Wei Wuxian huffed a little, seemingly coming back fully to his senses. He walked over and waited for Lan Wangji to crouch so that he could climb on his back. "You know, it's sexy when you give me orders."

"Don't let it distract you," Lan Wangji said, barely processing those words. After Wei Wuxian climbed on he stood up and assessed his barrier. "Your critical role is creating light," he said as he slowly made his way down the hallway. "Brighter than this, I need it to be like daylight, but don't blind me. I suggest creating multiple magelights around the walls and throughout the space, spread the light out if you can. I can't spare magic to do it now that I am defending us both. Don't worry if something gets close to us, focus on your job and let me do the rest.”

With that, they began their descent into the tomb.


End file.
